The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has published an updated version of its report of shortage occupations in construction, calling for additional roles to be added to the government’s shortage occupation list of the UK’s points-based immigration system.
The report is the second version published by the CLC’s movement of people working group, following a fresh call for evidence from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), the group that advises the Home Office on immigration system reform.
In March 2023, the CLC was successful in securing the inclusion of bricklayers and masons, carpenters and joiners, plasterers and dry liners, roofers, roof tilers and slaters and another category of occupations called ‘construction and building trades’, which includes roles like fencers, steeplejacks and builders, onto the shortage occupation list. [See our previous report here.]
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March, however, was just an interim review by MAC – it’s full review is expected in August. The CLC is still pressing for more construction occupations to be added to the shortage occupation list, including planter operators and steel erectors.
The full list of occupations requested by the CLC for inclusion is:
- architectural and town planning technicians
- bricklayers and masons
- business and related associate professionals
- carpenters and joiners
- construction and building trades (not elsewhere classified)
- elementary construction occupations (general labourers & ground workers)
- mobile machine drivers and operatives (plant operatives and piling rig operatives)
- plasterers, dry liners and ceiling fixers
- road construction operatives
- roofers, roof tilers and slaters
- sheet metal workers
- steel erectors
- welding trades.
The CLC's 61-page submission to the MAC review also includes representations about the migration system, including its dissatisfaction with the qualifying criteria for shortage occupations, an offer to work with government to improve the low awareness and engagement of the migration system with construction companies, the need to make the shortage occupation list more ‘meaningful’, suggestions around English language requirements and recommendations regarding short-term mobility.
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