Petition · past parliament

Add the entire teaching profession to the 'shortage occupation list'

Closed 5,678 signatures

What the petition asks

Desperately-needed international teachers are being forced to quit their jobs and leave the UK because they cannot obtain visas. To stop this happening, the #LetThemTeach campaign is calling for the whole profession to be added to the shortage occupation list, which gives higher priority for visas.
Non-EU foreign teachers are struggling to obtain tier 2 visas. At a time when schools are experiencing a recruitment crisis, this has resulted in valued teachers being forced to leave their jobs – and the country. While teachers in a handful of subjects are already listed as shortage occupations, the #LetThemTeach campaign is calling for the entire profession to be added to the list. For more information see https://www.tes.com/news/letthemteach-campaign-launches-keep-teachers-our-schools

Timeline

2 Jul 2018 Petition opened for signatures
2 Jan 2019 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 5,678
Status Closed
Opened 2 Jul 2018
Closed 2 Jan 2019

Follow this petition

Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.

Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.