Canine beauticians, DJs and pilates instructors are among the categories of overseas workers eligible to apply for UK skilled worker visas, an Oxford academic has found, as per a Guardian report. As the UK government promises a white paper later this year to slash the numbers entering the country to work, a list of specific and in some cases unusual “middle-skilled” jobs to which foreign workers can still apply has been identified.
Analysis of UK’s Home Office data over three years to March 2024 shows that 334 visas were granted for “animal care service occupations”, which include dog groomers, dog walkers, stable hands, kennel assistants and veterinary nursing assistants.
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Over the same period, 167 fitness instructors and lifestyle coaches were granted skilled worker visas, alongside roles like "costume interpreters" at museums. Keir Starmer is focusing on immigration policy as Reform UK gains in polls.
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Robert McNeil, a researcher at Oxford University’s Migration Centre, uncovered the anomalies.
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“Many of these roles may well be challenging and require particular skills, but they might not be the sort of things that are front of mind for most people when they imagine roles that are critical for UK employers to recruit from overseas,” he said.
He found them among more than 300 designated jobs on the “eligible occupations” skilled worker visas list, after flitting past professions usually associated with visa applicants such as nursing, care work, the civil service, the diplomatic corps and banking, as per the Guardian report.
ALSO READ: How to apply for a UK visa?
In a blog post on Tuesday, McNeil said the jobs were on the list because of changes introduced after the UK left the EU. “At the same time as ending free movement, the government reduced the skills threshold to allow middle-skilled jobs to qualify for work visas. Previously, only graduate jobs qualified in the system that applied to non-EU citizens.
“When people think about such middle-skilled jobs, roles like plumbers, bricklayers or engineering technicians spring to mind. But defining what is actually middle-skilled is not straightforward,” he said. “Some of the results are surprising.”
Analysis of UK’s Home Office data over three years to March 2024 shows that 334 visas were granted for “animal care service occupations”, which include dog groomers, dog walkers, stable hands, kennel assistants and veterinary nursing assistants.
ALSO READ: UK-India Young Professionals Scheme 2025 ballot to open next week; and you can apply for free
Over the same period, 167 fitness instructors and lifestyle coaches were granted skilled worker visas, alongside roles like "costume interpreters" at museums. Keir Starmer is focusing on immigration policy as Reform UK gains in polls.
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
Robert McNeil, a researcher at Oxford University’s Migration Centre, uncovered the anomalies.
ALSO READ: UK to refuse citizenship to undocumented migrants
“Many of these roles may well be challenging and require particular skills, but they might not be the sort of things that are front of mind for most people when they imagine roles that are critical for UK employers to recruit from overseas,” he said.
He found them among more than 300 designated jobs on the “eligible occupations” skilled worker visas list, after flitting past professions usually associated with visa applicants such as nursing, care work, the civil service, the diplomatic corps and banking, as per the Guardian report.
ALSO READ: How to apply for a UK visa?
In a blog post on Tuesday, McNeil said the jobs were on the list because of changes introduced after the UK left the EU. “At the same time as ending free movement, the government reduced the skills threshold to allow middle-skilled jobs to qualify for work visas. Previously, only graduate jobs qualified in the system that applied to non-EU citizens.
“When people think about such middle-skilled jobs, roles like plumbers, bricklayers or engineering technicians spring to mind. But defining what is actually middle-skilled is not straightforward,” he said. “Some of the results are surprising.”
