UK Visa Sponsors LogoUK Visa Sponsors

SOC 2020 code 5214: Pipe fitters

Can pipe fitters still be sponsored in 2027?

Pipe fitters (SOC 5214): certificates under the Temporary Shortage List must be issued by 30 December 2026. The MAC recommends it for 2027.

Last reviewed 11 November 2026

Check thisIn forceIn RulesMAC recommendation
ISL / TSL deadline

Relies on a list that ends in December 2026. The MAC recommended it for the new list, but that is not yet law.

What changes

  • On the current interim Temporary Shortage List. The rules only count a certificate issued before 31 December 2026.
  • The last day to issue a certificate under the current lists is 30 December 2026.
  • The ISL and the interim TSL are separate lists. Neither rolls over automatically, and not every ISL occupation is on the MAC's recommended list.
  • The MAC recommended this occupation for its new Temporary Shortage List, for 18 months from January 2027 to June 2028, with no salary discount. That is a recommendation, not yet in the Immigration Rules.

What to do

  • If a certificate depends on the current lists, it needs to be issued by 30 December 2026.
  • Watch for a Statement of Changes setting out the list that applies from 1 January 2027.
Sources:Immigration Rules: Appendix Skilled WorkerImmigration Rules: Appendix Immigration Salary Listgov.uk: Temporary Shortage Listgov.uk: Immigration Salary ListMAC: Temporary Shortage List Stage 2 report

At a glance

Immigration Salary List
No
Interim Temporary Shortage List
Yes. The last day to issue a certificate is 30 December 2026.
MAC's recommended list for 2027
Yes, for 18 months from January 2027 to June 2028. A recommendation, not yet in the Immigration Rules.
Standard salary threshold today
£46,000 a year for a 37.5-hour week: the higher of the £41,700 general threshold and the £46,000 occupation rate.
Example job titles
Pipe fitters. From Appendix Skilled Occupations; the duties decide the code, not the title.
2027 salary figures
Not published. Occupation rates are to move to the 25th percentile of pay and the general threshold is to be uprated.

Check your own situation

The checker below is set to pipe fitters. Add a salary and a few details to see all five changes for 2027, including settlement. Nothing you enter is stored or sent to us.

2027 Visa Rules Checker

Confirm this is the code on the certificate of sponsorship. Job titles can map to more than one code.

£

Stays in your browser. Never stored.

Settlement self-check (optional)

Checking several roles as an employer? Use employer mode

Questions about pipe fitters

Are pipe fitters on the Temporary Shortage List?

Yes, pipe fitters (5214) are on the interim Temporary Shortage List. The rules only count a certificate of sponsorship issued before 31 December 2026, so the last day is 30 December 2026. The Migration Advisory Committee has recommended the job for a new Temporary Shortage List from January 2027 to June 2028. That is a recommendation, not yet in the Immigration Rules.

Are pipe fitters on the Immigration Salary List?

No. The occupation is not on the current Immigration Salary List, so the lower ISL salary threshold does not apply to it.

What salary do pipe fitters need for a Skilled Worker visa?

The occupation rate is £46,000 and the general threshold is £41,700, for a 37.5-hour week. The higher of the two applies, so today's standard threshold is £46,000. From spring 2027 occupation rates are to move to the 25th percentile of pay and the general threshold is to be uprated, but no 2027 figures have been published.

Which job titles come under SOC code 5214?

Appendix Skilled Occupations lists job titles for 5214 pipe fitters including: Pipe fitters. The code on a certificate depends on the duties of the job, not only its title.

What happens to pipe fitters already on a Skilled Worker visa?

Workers first sponsored before 22 July 2025 may have transitional protection for extensions or job changes below degree level. Anyone sponsored later, or applying for the first time, relies on the list that applies on the date the certificate is issued. Check an individual case with a regulated immigration adviser.

Related occupations

See every occupation on the lists

Sources

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com