UK businesses struggling to recruit medium range marketing, sales and HR talent may not realise some of these roles can still be sponsored from overseas under the temporary shortage occupation list valid until the end of 2026, according to immigration lawyer Helena Sheizon of Kadmos Immigration.
While the Skilled Worker route is generally associated with highly skilled professional occupations, the Government’s temporary shortage occupation arrangements currently allow sponsorship for a range of RQF Level 4 occupations until 31 December 2026.
The list includes roles many businesses would not expect, including business sales executives, advertising and marketing associate professionals and human resources officers.
Helena Sheizon, Director and Senior Immigration Lawyer at Kadmos Immigration, said:
“Many employers still assume sponsoring overseas workers is only possible for higher echelons of management and highly skilled professional occupations.
This is indeed so, but in reality, there are transitional arrangements currently allowing sponsorship across a wider range of occupations, including some business support, sales and marketing-related roles that many employers would not expect to qualify.
The difficulty is that a large number of small and medium-sized businesses are simply unaware these routes currently exist.”
She added:
“These arrangements are due to end on 31 December 2026, meaning businesses considering overseas recruitment may need to plan without delay. Businesses still have time to apply for a sponsor licence if they have identified a worker they want to sponsor.
For employers already struggling to recruit experienced staff domestically, particularly in sectors facing ongoing skills shortages or retention challenges, the next six months may present a valuable opportunity.”
The temporary shortage list also includes occupations across construction, engineering, IT, finance and skilled trades. Roles currently eligible include electricians, plumbers, vehicle technicians, CAD technicians, HR officers, database administrators and marketing professionals.
Helena said the issue is particularly relevant for SMEs, which often do not have internal legal or HR teams monitoring immigration rule changes.
“There is often a misconception that sponsorship is only accessible to large corporations with dedicated HR departments.
However, many smaller businesses are eligible to become sponsors and may already employ overseas workers or be considering recruitment from abroad without fully understanding the current rules or the potential changes ahead.”
She also warned businesses not to leave sponsorship planning too late.
“Becoming a licensed sponsor is not an overnight process, and employers should not assume these transitional arrangements will be renewed beyond 2026.
Businesses relying on recruitment in affected occupations may benefit from reviewing their workforce planning strategy in light of the forthcoming changes.”
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The UK Government’s temporary shortage occupation arrangements currently allow sponsorship for certain RQF Level 4 occupations until 31 December 2026. Occupations listed include business sales executives, advertising and marketing associate professionals and HR officers. Source data provided from the current Temporary Shortage List.
About Kadmos Immigration
Kadmos Immigration is a UK immigration law firm advising businesses and individuals on a wide range of immigration matters, including sponsor licences, Skilled Worker visas, business immigration, family visas, settlement applications and British citizenship.
The firm works with employers across multiple sectors to navigate the UK’s immigration system and develop compliant workforce recruitment strategies.
About Helena Sheizon
Helena Sheizon is Director and Senior Immigration Lawyer at Kadmos Immigration. She advises UK employers on sponsor licence compliance, overseas recruitment, Skilled Worker sponsorship and broader business immigration matters, helping organisations understand and respond to changes in UK immigration policy and workforce planning requirements.
