Can you get a UK Skilled Worker visa for a job in “elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified”?
No. You cannot get a UK Skilled Worker visa for a job in “elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified” (SOC 9129).
You might be able to work in the UK on a different visa. Compare UK work visas.
Based on the UK Immigration Rules and the Skilled Worker visa guide on GOV.UK. This is a summary, not advice about your own situation.
The rules in detail
SOC 2020 code 9129 (Elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified) is listed as not eligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Scale-up routes in Table 6 of Appendix Skilled OccupationsT6 · 29 Oct 26.
Source: Appendix Skilled Occupations and eligible occupations and codes, GOV.UK.| Occupation | Elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker eligibility | Ineligible |
| Going rate | Not applicable |
| Appendix table(s) | Table 6 |
| Immigration Salary List | No |
| Temporary Shortage List | No |
| SOC 2020 group | 91 Elementary trades and related occupations › 912 Elementary construction occupations |
Job titles under SOC 9129
GOV.UK lists these related job titles:
- Builder’s labourers
- Carpenter and joiner assistants
- Construction electrician’s assistants
- Grave diggers
- Insulation labourers
- Marquee erectors
- Plumber’s assistants
- Elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified
More job titles from the ONS SOC 2020 index (6)
- Building worker
- Electrician’s mate (building construction)
- Hod carrier
- Labourer (building construction)
- Odd job man
- Sea diver’s assistant
What the job involves
Job holders in this unit group perform a variety of general labouring and construction duties to assist building, civil engineering and related trades workers in the performance of their tasks not elsewhere classified in minor group 912: Elementary construction occupations.
Typical tasks
- Conveys blocks, bricks, stone, mortar, roofing, felt, slates, wood and other building materials to the work area
- Assists with the erection of ladders, scaffolding and work platforms, the rigging of cradles of hoisting equipment and the attaching of slings, hooks and guide ropes
- Mixes mortar, grouting material, cement screed, and plaster, prepares adhesive, primer and paints and similar construction material, and undertakes basic decorating, painting, plumbing and other maintenance and repair tasks
- Cleans equipment and tools, clears work area and otherwise assists building and woodworking trades workers as directed
- Performs general labouring tasks such as loading and delivering materials and equipment, removing wall coverings, and preparing surfaces by cleaning, sanding, filling, etc
- Covers ceilings, floors, walls and exposed surfaces of boilers, pipes and plant with insulating material
- Heats and breaks up blocks of asphalt, bitumen or tar, stirs melting mixture, adds aggregate if required, pours mixture into buckets
- Measures and fixes timber and other structures to support excavations, cables or other rail, signal and telecoms equipment
- Maintains land drainage systems and prepares graves for burial
- Operates, cleans and lubricates valves and sluices, removes weeds, dead animals and other debris from waterways and carries out minor repairs to banks and footbridges
- Helps diver into and out of diving suit, maintains communication with submerged diver and checks equipment and time spent under water
Typical entry routes and qualifications
No academic qualifications are required. Training is typically provided on-the-job. NVQs/SVQs in a variety of construction and craft occupations are available at levels 1, 2 and 3.
Description: ONS SOC 2020 Volume 1.
Questions about SOC 9129
Can you get a UK Skilled Worker visa for a job in “elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified”?
No. You cannot get a UK Skilled Worker visa for a job in “elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified” (SOC 9129). SOC 2020 code 9129 (Elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified) is listed as not eligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Scale-up routes in Table 6 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
What is SOC code 9129?
9129 is the SOC 2020 code for Elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified. Job holders in this unit group perform a variety of general labouring and construction duties to assist building, civil engineering and related trades workers in the performance of their tasks not elsewhere classified in minor group 912: Elementary construction occupations.
What job titles use SOC code 9129?
GOV.UK lists: Builder’s labourers, Carpenter and joiner assistants, Construction electrician’s assistants, Grave diggers, Insulation labourers, Marquee erectors, Plumber’s assistants, Elementary construction occupations not elsewhere classified.
Sources
- Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes (GOV.UK, updated 29 April 2026)
- Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations (GOV.UK, updated 29 October 2026)
- Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker (GOV.UK, updated 29 October 2026)
- ONS SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions of unit groups
Compiled by SWC Editorial Team from the sources above. An information summary, not immigration advice. Report an error on this page.