Charting a Course: Securing Space-Sector Talent Amid UK Immigration Reforms

The UK's space industry, now worth £17.5 billion and supporting nearly 50,000 jobs relies on globally sourced talent to design satellites, analyse data and manage complex missions. Yet, the UK Government’s Statement of Changes, published on 1 July 2025, tightens the immigration rules from 22 July 2025, raising salary and skills thresholds and eliminating key exemptions. As the industry grapples with skills shortages, understanding the full impact of these proposed changes to the UK Immigration rules and responding quickly will be vital for space employers, start-ups and research institutions alike.

Key changes: Raising the Bar

Salary Threshold Increases

The general salary threshold for new Skilled Worker applicants has increased from £38,700 to £41,700. Simultaneously, ‘going rates’ for individual roles have also risen by an average of 6%, pushing wage expectations even higher. For example:

While the space sector often provides competitive salaries for high-skilled roles, emerging startups, smaller aerospace spinouts, SMEs and ground-station operators may find it more challenging to meet the increased wage requirements for graduate engineers, systems analysts or operational support staff. Additionally, these heightened salary expectations may impact the industry’s ability to support early-career hires and promote workforce diversity.

Skill Threshold Increases

From 22 July 2025, the minimum skill level for new Skilled Worker visa applicants will rise from RQF Level 3 (A-level or equivalent) to RQF Level 6 (bachelor's degree level). This change excludes the majority of mid-skilled roles unless they are listed on the Temporary Shortage List (TSL) or the Immigration Salary List (ISL).

RQF 3-5 Roles at Risk

While many scientific, engineering, and research roles in the space sector already meet RQF Level 6 standards, the industry also relies on a wide array of mid-skilled roles, such as technicians, quality control inspectors, and systems operators, that typically fall under RQF Levels 3 to 5. These roles are essential to satellite manufacturing, mission planning and downstream services.

The government has provided a comprehensive list of RQF Level 3–5 occupations not eligible for sponsorship after 22 July unless they appear on the TSL or ISL. Though some of these occupations are included conditionally on the TSL or ISL, many are not, making proactive workforce planning essential. For the space industry, some of these roles include:

• • • 3119 - Science, engineering and production technicians n.e.c. – Often essential to test labs and component assembly units.
    • 5246 - Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers – Important for spacecraft ground systems maintenance.
    • 5212- Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders – Vital for hardware fabrication.

Employers hiring for these roles must act swiftly. Any applications supported by a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued before 22 July will still be governed by the current, more flexible immigration rules.

Temporary Shortage List – Opportunity & Limitation

The new Temporary Shortage List (TSL) offers continued sponsorship for 52 RQF 3–5 roles identified as critical to national infrastructure and industrial strategy.  Unlike previous policy tools, the TSL does include several roles directly relevant to satellite manufacturing and ground-based operations. These include:

• • • 3112 – Electrical and Electronics Technicians
    • 3113–3116 – Engineering, Quality Assurance, Planning and Process Technicians
    • 3120 – CAD, Drawing, and Architectural Technicians
    • 5241–5245 – Electricians, Telecoms Installers and Security System Engineers
    • 5213–5223 – Welding, Pipefitting and Metalworking Technicians

These roles offer a potential sponsorship route for certain mid-skilled functions vital to the sector. However, employers should be aware of the limitations:

• • • All TSL roles must meet the general salary threshold of £41,700, with no discount.
    • No dependants may be sponsored for TSL roles from 22 July onwards.
    • Continued access to the TSL will depend on industry compliance and the strength of submitted workforce strategies.

The TSL presents a mixed opportunity. While it creates a narrow path for sponsorship in certain areas, salary and family-related restrictions may impact recruitment feasibility.

It is also important to note that while the TSL does include some space-relevant roles, many others remain excluded, such as science, engineering and production technicians (3119), or electrical service and maintenance mechanics (5246). These roles are often essential to satellite assembly and ground support but fall outside the current policy framework for exemptions.

Without a clear exception pathway for such roles, their removal represents an immediate and significant barrier to the recruitment of mid-skilled international talent post-22 July. Employers should review any hiring plans dependent on these positions and assess whether alternatives are available.

Government Commissioning of MAC: What's Next?

The UK Government has formally tasked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) with two key reviews.

Stage 1: Review of salary requirements

Due by early 2026, this review will assess whether the new salary thresholds are proportionate and whether any salary discounts (e.g. for PhD holders or new entrants) should continue. This could potentially reopen flexibility in future.

Stage 2: Review of the Temporary Shortage List

This review will involve:

• • • An initial assessment within six months of implementation
    • A final evaluation by mid-2026

To remain or be included on the TSL, roles must:

• • • Demonstrate evidence of significant labour shortages
    • Show sector commitment to domestic upskilling and ethical recruitment
    • Be supported by credible workforce strategies

Space employers, trade associations and skills councils should collaborate to build credible workforce strategies that highlight long-term skill shortages, particularly at the technician and operations levels. This groundwork could position the sector for future inclusion, ensuring policy better reflects the sector’s needs.

Strategic Recommendations for the Space Sector

• • • Prioritise Critical Sponsorships Before 22 July: Identify any active or pipeline hires in RQF 3–5 roles and issue CoS under current rules ahead of July 22.
    • Review Salary Benchmarks: Update pay scales for RQF 6+ positions to meet or exceed new ‘going rates.’
    • Assess TSL options carefully: Determine whether relevant roles fall under the TSL and if the salary and dependant rules are viable for your business.
    • Invest in domestic training pipelines: Build collaborative workforce strategies, expand apprenticeships and degree-level pathways with universities, Skills England and Catapult centres.
    • Prepare for MAC consultations: Collect vacancy data, recruitment lead times, and business impact evidence to support future TSL reviews. Highlight mission-critical technician roles absent from the TSL.
    • Engage in strategic advocacy: Work through sector bodies and government stakeholders such as UKspace, ADS, Satellite Applications Catapult and regional clusters to submit a unified case for future TSL inclusion of critical mid-skill space roles.
    • Strengthen retention: Review career-progression frameworks, mentoring and upskilling to minimise turnover in hard-to-replace roles.

Looking Ahead

These reforms represent a major shift in how the UK attracts overseas talent. In the immediate term, space companies will need to move quickly, prioritising key sponsorships, reviewing salaries and reassessing hiring strategies. In the longer term, building strong UK-based talent pipelines, while staying engaged in shaping immigration policy, will help ensure the sector can thrive in a globally competitive environment.

This engagement is a vital opportunity for the space sector to press for policies that support skilled migration alongside domestic training, ensuring the UK remains innovative, agile and globally connected.

It is also worth noting that these changes come at a particularly pivotal time. The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee is currently conducting a Space Enquiry, with findings expected in November 2025. The enquiry is exploring how the UK can strengthen its position in the global space economy, with a focus on capability, competitiveness and workforce, including how we attract and retain the people needed to power it. Baroness Catherine Ashton, who chairs the Committee, has already acknowledged the crucial role of international talent and the realities of global competition. In light of the July Statement of Changes, this enquiry has taken on even greater importance.

The UK aspires to lead in space, but narrowing access to critical skills puts that ambition at risk. With strategic sponsorship, sector-wide collaboration and long-term planning, the industry can keep growing well into the 2030s and beyond.

Need to know more?

For more information or questions on navigating the UK immigration system and the space sector, please contact Director Laxmi Limbani at [email protected] or Fragomen’s Space Industry Team.

This blog was published on 9 July 2025, and due to the circumstances, there are frequent changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.