Which RQF Level 3–5 Jobs Still Qualify for UK Skilled Worker Visa?

1. Introduction

The UK’s immigration landscape has changed significantly with the Home Office’s Statement of Changes HC 997, laid before Parliament in July 2025. A major update is that only RQF Level 6 roles will now qualify for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship under standard rules. The Home Office put the reduction at around 180 occupations that previously met the eligibility threshold.

However, to support critical sectors, the government has created two interim shortage lists for RQF Level 3–5 roles, which offer temporary relief for selected jobs—though under stricter conditions.

This blog will help you understand which RQF Level 3–5 occupations remain eligible, when they expire, and what limitations apply, including the bar on bringing dependants.

2. Why RQF Level Matters for Visa Sponsorship

Effective from 22 July 2025, the minimum skill level for new Skilled Worker visa applicants has been raised to RQF Level 6. This change significantly impacts many occupations, with around 180 roles no longer qualifying for the standard Skilled Worker route. This strategic move by the UK government aims to prioritise highly skilled professionals and reduce net migration.

However, the Home Office has recognised the need to maintain access to certain essential RQF 3-5 occupations, introducing two interim lists:

1. Expanded Immigration Salary List (ISL): This list incorporates existing entries alongside RQF 3-5 occupations identified as being in shortage by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).
2. New Temporary Shortage List (TSL): This list specifically covers RQF 3-5 occupations deemed critical to the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy by the Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).

A job on either list can only be sponsored where the Certificate of Sponsorship is issued before 31 December 2026, except care workers and senior care workers on the Immigration Salary List, whose date is 22 July 2028. The government can bring these dates forward, or extend them.

Two further routes keep RQF 3 to 5 jobs open. If you were granted Skilled Worker permission before 22 July 2025 and have held it continuously since, you can extend or change sponsor in any RQF 3 to 5 occupation code, and you can still bring dependants (care workers have separate rules). Prison service officers (3314) can also be sponsored from inside the UK under a separate provision. Our guide to Skilled Worker eligibility and salary sets out each route and the salary it requires.

3. Where to Find RQF Level 3-5 Jobs Still Open for Skilled Worker Visa

To determine if a specific RQF 3-5 job is still eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa, you need to consult the updated lists:

◆ Immigration Salary List: 

This list includes 25 occupations that currently qualify. You can find the full list, along with their removal dates (mostly 31st December 2026), on our dedicated blog: UK Immigration Salary List: Jobs, Conditions and Removal Dates

◆ Temporary Shortage Occupation List: 

This list details 52 occupation codes, two of them limited to named job types. For a complete breakdown, refer to our blog: UK Temporary Shortage Occupation List 2025/2026 Breakdown

It's crucial to remember that these lists are dynamic. The Migration Advisory Committee published its Temporary Shortage List Stage 2 report on 23 July 2026, recommending 28 occupations for access from January 2027. Until the Immigration Rules change, the current lists and their dates apply, and the Home Office has said the Immigration Salary List will be phased out. This means that the eligibility of these roles could change, potentially even before the stated expiry date of 31st December 2026, especially if compliance concerns arise.

4. Important Restrictions for RQF Level 3-5 Job Applicants

A significant change for those applying for Skilled Worker Visas in RQF Levels 3-5 occupations on these interim lists is the imposition of new restrictions:

■ Settlement (ILR) Is Still Available: 

Time in an RQF 3 to 5 job sponsored through either list counts towards settlement in the same way as any other Skilled Worker time. Under the current rules you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years, as long as your sponsor confirms it still needs you and pays you the settlement salary: at least £41,700 and the full going rate, or £33,400 and the full going rate if your most recent permission was for a job on the Immigration Salary List. Lower figures apply if you were first granted before 4 April 2024 or work in a health or care job. The government has consulted on longer qualifying periods under an earned settlement model, but those proposals are not law.

■ No Dependants: 

Applicants for RQF 3-5 roles on these lists cannot bring dependants (partner or children) to the UK. There are very narrow exceptions, such as for dependent children born in the UK or where the Skilled Worker has sole parental responsibility. The restriction does not apply if you were granted Skilled Worker permission in an RQF 3 to 5 job under the rules in place before 22 July 2025 and have held it continuously since, so you can still bring a partner or children. Care workers have separate rules.

These restrictions underscore the temporary and targeted nature of these lists.

5. What About the Jobs That Are No Longer Eligible?

Many occupations that previously qualified for the Skilled Worker Visa route under the RQF Level 3-5 threshold are no longer eligible unless they appear on the Expanded Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. We have compiled a comprehensive list of these removed occupations to help you understand the full impact of the RQF threshold increase: UK Skilled Worker Visa Shake-Up: The Full List of Occupations Removed as RQF Threshold Rises

6. Key Takeaway for Employers

If you are hiring for roles below RQF Level 6, ensure:

⧁ Your job is listed on the E-ISL or TSL
 

⧁ The Certificate of Sponsorship is issued before 31 December 2026 (22 July 2028 for care workers and senior care workers), or earlier if a list is shortened
 

⧁ You comply with all salary, hour-rate, and documentation requirements
 

⧁ ⧁ A Temporary Shortage List job is paid at least £41,700 and the going rate, because that list gives no salary discount

Now is the time to sponsor new workers or extend visas before these roles are phased out.

7. How Can WorkPermitCloud Help?

At WorkPermitCloud Ltd, we guide UK employers and Skilled Worker visa applicants through the evolving immigration system. Our legal and HR-tech experts can:

⧁ Check if your role is still eligible

⧁ Ensure sponsorship complies with the interim rules

​​⧁ Help adjust contracts and pay rates

⧁ Guide you through in-country switching or visa extensions

⧁ Assist with sponsorship licence maintenance
 

📞 Call us: +44 020 8087 2343
 📧 Email: info@workpermitcloud.co.uk
 📅 Book a free consultation: calendly.com/lutfur-workpermitcloud

If your certificate relies on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List, it must be issued before 31 December 2026, so don’t wait.
🔴 Request Priority Service Now

8. Conclusion

While the UK immigration system is moving toward higher skill thresholds, the two interim lists provide a short-term opportunity for certain RQF Level 3–5 roles to continue under Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.

These routes are time-limited and come with strict restrictions. Whether you're an employer or migrant worker, now is the time to act before these roles are phased out for good.

9. Glossary