On Monday 17th July 2023 the UK Government announced that it was adding a number of construction roles to its "shortage occupation list", allowing the building industry to bring in staff from abroad more easily to help employers struggling to fill positions.

Bricklayers, masons, roofers, roof tilers, slaters, carpenters, joiners and plasterers are now to benefit from cheaper visas and more relaxed employment criteria under the changes.
 

Why The Changes?

As we all well know the shortage of skilled workers within particular areas of the construction industry is significant. The problem started as a result of Brexit and in the wake of the financial crisis and was compounded by the Covid pandemic when workers (mainly Eastern European labourers), had to go home and simply did not return leaving a huge labour shortage.

And the scale of the problem ... in 2021 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the construction industry had lost more than a third of its EU-born workforce since 2017. And in January of this year the CITB reported that an additional 224,900 extra workers (44,980 a year) will be needed to meet UK construction demand between now and 2027. 

Training courses and apprenticeships are being developed to encourage new entrants into the industry but these are lond term solutions with no guarantee of getting the numbers into the industry that are required and so the Government needed to act by supporting recommendations covering builders by the Migration Advisory Committee.
 

What Occupations Have Been Added?

Government advisors in the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) looked at 26 occupations in construction and hospitality. They recommended five building related occupations for inclusion on the official shortage occupations list - these consist of:

1. Bricklayers and masons
2. Roofers, roof tilers and slaters
3. Carpenters and joiners
4. Construction and building trades n.e.c (not elsewhere classified)
5. Plasterers

The Govenment accepted this advice and have added the above five to the list. This means that overseas plasterers, bricklayers, roofers, carpenters and other specialist trades will be able to get work visas more easily in the UK although the Government is quick to point out that the change on construction workers is not expected to make a major difference to overall migration figures.
 

About The Skilled Worker Route

The Skilled Worker route is for employers to recruit people to work in the UK, including in UK waters, in a specific job. A Skilled Worker must have a job offer in an eligible skilled occupation from a Home Office-approved sponsor. People on the shortage occupation list are able to apply for a skilled worker visa to come and work in the UK.

There is still a stringent criteria and a robust process to follow - all of which is explained on the Government website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/