The UK government has updated the list of professions eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa. The list now includes not only traditional medical and engineering roles but also some unexpected occupations — from yoga instructors to staff who greet tourists dressed as Victorian characters.
According to The Guardian, the updated list now features cosmetologists, DJs, Pilates instructors, dog groomers, dog walkers, stable hands, homeopaths, animal care assistants, veterinary nurses, flight attendants, cemetery managers, and even costumed performers. The latter work in museums and National Trust sites, recreating historical atmospheres for visitors.
This expansion took effect in March of last year but has only recently sparked widespread public debate. Data from the UK Home Office shows that in less than a year, workers in “animal-related” professions — such as groomers and kennel assistants — received 334 visas. Additionally, between 2021 and 2024, 167 work visas were issued to fitness instructors, including yoga, Pilates, and wellness coaches.
The academic world has also taken note of this new category of professions. Robert McNeil, a researcher at Oxford University’s Migration Policy and Society Centre, pointed out the unusual nature of the updated list. On social media, he emphasized that many of the new roles do not require higher education or specialized training. “These are clearly not the kinds of jobs people imagine when discussing foreign labor recruitment,” McNeil remarked.
Despite the government’s stated intention to reduce the overall number of work visas issued, the list of eligible professions has actually grown. Authorities are particularly focused on addressing labor shortages in sectors facing acute staffing deficits — even in less obvious fields.
The list of “medium-skilled” professions now includes flight attendants, cycling instructors, cemetery managers, and homeopaths. The inclusion of such diverse and unconventional roles reflects shifting demands in the UK labor market.
Experts believe this move may be aimed at supporting small businesses and the service sector, where local workers are often scarce due to low job appeal. Meanwhile, the UK’s immigration policy continues to balance strict entry controls with the need to offset labor shortages post-Brexit.
The expansion comes alongside other labor market reforms. Earlier, it was reported that over 200 UK companies had switched to a four-day workweek without pay cuts. This measure has granted around 5,000 employees an extra day off, which experts believe could boost productivity and overall well-being.
Thus, Britain’s visa policy is becoming increasingly flexible, opening doors not only to highly skilled professionals but also to workers in creative, service, and even exotic fields. The long-term impact of these measures on British society and the economy remains to be seen.
How Visa Policy Has Changed
Until recently, the Skilled Worker Visa was primarily available to specialists in high-skilled and niche professions — engineers, doctors, IT developers, construction workers, and researchers. Applicants typically had to provide proof of qualifications, relevant experience, a certain level of English proficiency, and a job offer from a licensed sponsor employer.
The current expansion signals a notable shift in visa policy. The UK is now addressing labor shortages not only in strategic industries but also in everyday service sectors, where staffing gaps have worsened after Brexit and the pandemic. A key feature of the new approach is that some roles no longer require formal academic qualifications — only a job offer from a licensed employer and proof of income.
This shift reflects a more flexible stance on migration: with the UK labor market struggling to attract local workers, it is now open not just to IT specialists and medical professionals but also to DJs, cosmetologists, and Pilates instructors.
New Opportunities for EU and CIS Citizens
For EU citizens — especially those who moved to the UK after the Brexit transition period — these changes offer new possibilities. While workers without formal education or specialized skills previously had little chance of legal labor migration, many can now consider the Skilled Worker Visa a viable pathway.
For citizens of CIS countries, including Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, the expanded list is particularly significant. Many professionals from these regions work in fields now officially recognized as visa-eligible, such as animal care, beauty, fitness, and yoga. Previously, such roles often fell outside legal immigration routes, but they now have formal government recognition.
That said, obtaining a visa still requires meeting certain conditions: English proficiency at level B1 or higher, a job offer from a Home Office-registered employer, and a minimum annual salary set for the specific profession. Nevertheless, the inclusion of these new categories significantly improves the chances of legal entry and employment in the UK for thousands of professionals from Europe and the CIS.
