As of 22 July 2025, the UK government has implemented sweeping immigration reforms, tightening the criteria for Skilled Worker visas.
Full List of Excluded Skilled Worker Occupations (as of 22 July 2025)
These jobs are no longer eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship under the UK’s immigration rules:
- Managers and directors in retail and wholesale
- Managers and proprietors in agriculture and horticulture
- Managers and proprietors in forestry, fishing, and related services
- Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors
- Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors
- Publicans and managers of licensed premises
- Leisure and sports managers and proprietors
- Travel agency managers and proprietors
- Health care practice managers
- Early education and childcare services proprietors
- Managers in storage and warehousing
- Property, housing, and estate managers
- Garage managers and proprietors
- Hairdressing and beauty salon managers and proprietors
- Betting shop and gambling establishment managers
- Hire services managers and proprietors
- Managers and proprietors in other services not elsewhere classified
- Early education and childcare services managers
- Science, engineering, and production technicians not elsewhere classified
- Dispensing opticians
- Medical and dental technicians
- Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified
- Youth and community workers
- Child and early years officers
- Housing officers
- Counsellors
- Welfare and housing associate professionals not elsewhere classified
- Higher-level teaching assistants
- Early education and childcare practitioners
- Veterinary nurses
- Police officers (sergeant and below)
- Fire service officers (watch manager and below)
- Prison service officers (below principal officer)
- Protective service associate professionals not elsewhere classified
- Actors, entertainers, and presenters
- Musicians
- Interior designers
- Design occupations not elsewhere classified
- Fitness and wellbeing instructors
- Importers and exporters
- Project support officers
- Business associate professionals not elsewhere classified
- Buyers and procurement officers
- Merchandisers
- Estate agents and auctioneers
- Events managers and organisers
- Public services associate professionals
- Careers advisers and vocational guidance specialists
- Other vocational and industrial trainers
- Inspectors of standards and regulations
- Health and safety managers and officers
- National government administrative occupations
- Local government administrative occupations
- Officers of non-governmental organisations
- Finance officers
- Financial administrative occupations not elsewhere classified
- Transport and distribution clerks and assistants
- Office managers
- Customer service managers
- Sales administrators
- Other administrative occupations not elsewhere classified
- Company secretaries and administrators
- Personal assistants and other secretaries
- Farmers
- Horticultural trades
- Gardeners and landscape gardeners
- Groundsmen and greenkeepers
- Agriculture and fishing trades not elsewhere classified
- Sheet metal workers
- Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders, and related occupations
- Metal machining setters and setter-operators
- Tool makers, tool fitters, and markers-out
- Precision instrument makers and repairers
- Aircraft maintenance and related trades
- Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers
- TV, video, and audio servicers and repairers
- Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers
- Skilled metal, electrical, and electronic trades supervisors
- Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters
- Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified
- Plasterers
- Upholsterers
- Footwear and leather working trades
- Tailors and dressmakers
- Textiles, garments, and related trades not elsewhere classified
- Pre-press technicians
- Printers
- Print finishing and binding workers
- Butchers
- Bakers and flour confectioners
- Fishmongers and poultry dressers
- Chefs
- Catering and bar managers
- Glass and ceramics makers, decorators, and finishers
- Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers
- Florists
- Other skilled trades not elsewhere classified
- Early education and childcare assistants
- Teaching assistants
- Educational support assistants
- Childminders
- Playworkers
- Animal care services occupations not elsewhere classified
- Ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)
- Dental nurses
- Houseparents and residential wardens
- Air travel assistants
- Rail travel assistants
- Police community support officers
- Market and street traders and assistants
- Shopkeepers and owners – retail and wholesale
- Sales supervisors – retail and wholesale
- Market research interviewers
- Customer service supervisors
- Chemical and related process operatives
- Water and sewerage plant operatives
- Routine inspectors and testers
- Driving instructors
- Marine and waterways transport operatives
- Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations not elsewhere classified
- Elementary sales occupations not elsewhere classified.