The United Kingdom (UK) needs diversity workers, poets, bloggers under its new temporary shortage list, and Nigerians are eligible to apply.
The latest immigration update has confirmed that equality and diversity managers may enter Britain under the skilled worker visa category, classified as part of human resources and industrial relations officers.
Poets and bloggers have been classified under ‘authors, writers and translators’, and are now part of the temporary shortage occupation list until December 2026.
As reported in the Daily Telegraph, this will remain in effect until December 2026, pending a Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) review of each role’s necessity to the UK economy.
According to the Home Office, “The introduction of an interim, time‑limited and conditional temporary shortage list will make sure the immigration system works better for the UK”.
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“Each sector will need a workforce strategy in place to train UK workers or lose access to the immigration system… Equality, diversity and inclusion managers are listed… and this will be reviewed”.
As part of the crackdown coinciding with rising migration figures, the Home Office compiled a list of roles deemed essential to the UK’s industrial strategy.
Yvette Cooper, UK’s home secretary said the revised approach aligns immigration policy with Labour’s goal of reducing net migration while safeguarding crucial skills.
She has written to the MAC requesting assessment of the shortage list roles to ensure they meet strategic economic needs.
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Critics question inclusion of cultural-related roles
Lee Anderson, UK’s member of parliament, is not convinced and criticised the policy, arguing that the immigration policies allows for exploitation.
“Standards for work-related immigration in this country have never been lower… Our soft-touch immigration policies have allowed widespread exploitation… and cost taxpayers billions” .
He also added that the UK does not need to import poets and bloggers and urged the government instead to prioritise migrants such as doctors, builders, and entrepreneurs.
UK needs diversity workers, poets, bloggers under its new temporary shortage list
However, the shortage occupation adjustments are part of wider immigration reforms outlined in Labour’s white paper with measures which includes:
Raising skilled-worker requirements to graduate level (RQF6) and increasing salary thresholds
Removing overseas routes for social-care workers
Extending residency requirements for settlement from five to ten years
Introducing formal temporary routes for lower-skilled vacancies
Though some lower-skilled roles remain temporarily protected, the new framework emphasises workforce planning and domestic training strategies.
It is now left for applicants involved in these roles are to secure jobs which can offer them sponsorship to work in the UK as long as employers in these sectors can demonstrate that overseas hiring is essential and is part of a broader domestic-skills strategy.
