6121 Pest controllers
Unit group 6121 in the ONS Standard Occupational Classification 2020, with the line the Appendix Skilled Occupations gives it. Not immigration advice.
In short
- ONS unit group 6121, in minor group 612 (Animal care and control services) and major group 6 (Caring, leisure and other service occupations).
- Appendix Skilled Occupations (figures as at 3 August 2026, re-checked 26 October 2026): Not on the list: Table 6.
- Going rate as the tables print it:
What the ONS says
Description
Pest controllers investigate the presence of pests that are hazardous to public health or cause nuisance, lay traps to capture pests and treat areas of infestation.
Typical entry routes
There are no formal academic entry qualifications, though some employers may expect entrants to possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is provided on-the-job, supplemented by specialist courses covering different aspects of pest control.
Tasks
- receives reports from public, property owners and authorities regarding the presence of pests and infestations
- visits sites to investigate the presence of rodents, infestations and other pests that may be hazardous to public health
- lays traps to capture pests, and fumigates and disinfects areas to remove infestations
- advises property owners on courses of action to prevent the return of pests
- liaises with environmental health officers, housing officers and other relevant authorities where measures on a large scale are required to remove pests
- returns to sites to examine contents of traps laid and the continued presence of reported pests
- treats wood for effects of termites, woodworm and other infestations of timber
Related job titles
- Fumigator
- Pest control officer
- Pest control technician
- Pest controller
ONS note: Unit Group title was Pest control officers (version V13).
What the Appendix Skilled Occupations says
The Appendix lists this code in the table below, with the table’s own caption and the row as printed. Read the full table, and any condition in it, on GOV.UK.
Table 6: SOC 2020 occupation codes which are not eligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility or Scale-up routes
- SOC 2020 occupation code
- 6121 Pest control officers
- Examples of related job titles (non-exhaustive)
- Fumigator
- Pest control officer
- Pest control technician
- Pest controller
Other unit groups in minor group 612
Sources
Occupation text: Office for National Statistics, SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions of unit groups (file dated 27 August 2026, version V13). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence v3.0. Tables: Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations on GOV.UK, page updated 3 August 2026; re-checked against the page updated 8 October 2026 on 26 October 2026, tables unchanged.
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