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The UK's engineering sector is teetering on the edge of a major talent crisis. According to recent reports from the Royal Academy of Engineering, the nation could face a shortage of up to 1.5 million engineers by 2030, a shortfall of a scale comparable to an "NHS-style" crisis in healthcare.
Nearly one-third of the current engineering workforce is expected to retire over the next decade, while only around 90,000 engineering graduates enter the profession annually, an imbalance that threatens progress and innovation alike (ECT Engineering College of Technology).
Meanwhile, research by Stonehaven estimates a shortfall of 1 million engineers by 2030, with around 59,000 engineering roles going unfilled every year.
This shortage puts at risk at least 184 major engineering projects worth £542 billion including HS2, hospital infrastructure, and renewable energy developments, unless urgent action is taken (Electronic Specifier; SOE; Institution of Mechanical Engineers).
Despite engineering being one of the UK's most admired professions, younger generations, particularly Gen Z are less likely to pursue it. Surveys suggest that around 30% of Gen Z respondents refuse to consider engineering careers, citing perceptions that the field is too male-dominated, overly reliant on mathematics, or simply misunderstood as a career pathway (The Times; Institution of Mechanical Engineers; Born to Engineer).
Globally, Britain ranks among one of the highest countries with more open engineering roles than available graduates, a clear sign of how domestic training pipelines are failing to keep up with employer demand.
What This Means For Employers
With the domestic talent pool unable to match the needs of the economy, businesses cannot rely on home-grown graduates alone.
To safeguard delivery of critical infrastructure and innovation projects, firms must look internationally, using sponsorship and global mobility routes to fill engineering gaps.
Sponsoring Engineers in the UK: Key Routes
Skilled Worker Visa
- The main long-term route for sponsoring engineers.
- Requires an employer to hold a sponsor licence, with the role listed as eligible under the Skilled Worker occupation codes.
- Salary thresholds apply, with discounts where roles appear on the Immigration Salary List (ISL) or Temporary Shortage List.
- Covers a wide range of roles from civil engineers to design and development engineers, electronics engineers through to engineers in manufacturing..
Global Business Mobility (Temporary Worker) Routes
Replacing the old intra-company schemes, these cover temporary assignments within international groups or high-value projects:
- Senior or Specialist Worker – for skilled staff on company transfer and includes highly skilled engineers such as design, electronic, electrical, chemical and manufacturing engineers to name a few.
- Graduate Trainee – for structured graduate training programmes.
- Service Supplier – for overseas contractors under trade agreements.
- Secondment Worker – for specialists assigned to UK operations linked to major contracts.
Other Temporary Worker Routes (T5)
While less common in engineering, employers may consider:
- Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) – for training, research, and work experience.
- International Agreement – for work covered by treaties or international law.
- Graduate visa – those under the graduate route can work for you without sponsorship for 2 years.
- High Potential visa – Those with a degree from a listed university can apply for this route for a 2 year visa without sponsorship
- Temporary Business Visitors – Some engineering activities are allowed under the business visitor visa, but they must meet strict requirements.
Other non-sponsorable routes
There are also people that may hold or be eligible for the below visa routes:
- Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) – Those settled inside the UK can work for you without sponsorship.
- UK Ancestry Route – These individuals have an ancestry link to the UK so can apply for this visa without the need to hold a sponsor licence, but they must meet strict criteria and be from a common wealth country.
- Spouse visas – Individuals currently married to a British national or settled person inside the UK can work for you without being sponsored, but visas under this route are issued for 33 months if they are outside the UK or 30 months if they are inside the UK with extensions possible until they can apply for ILR.
Sponsorable Engineering Roles
The following are typical engineering roles eligible under the Skilled Worker route (with some included on the ISL or Temporary Shortage List):
- Civil Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Electronics Engineer
- Design and Development Engineer
- Production and Process Engineer
- Chemical Engineers
- Software Engineers
- Engineering Technicians (including some technical and vocational specialists recently added to the shortage provisions)
Steps Employers Should Take
- Assess Workforce Needs – Identify the hardest-to-fill engineering roles.
- Secure a Sponsor Licence – Or ensure your existing licence covers the required categories.
- Choose the Right Route – Skilled Worker for long-term hires; GBM or temporary visas for project-specific placements.
- Issue Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) – Allocate these carefully in line with the latest guidance.
- Plan for the Future – Alongside sponsorship, invest in apprenticeships and training to strengthen the domestic pipeline.
Conclusion
The projected shortfall of up to 1.5 million engineers by 2030 is not a distant threat—it is unfolding now. Employers must act by leveraging international sponsorship routes to meet their labour needs, while also contributing to long-term solutions by supporting UK-based training.
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