8111 Food, drink and tobacco process operatives: SOC 2020 occupation code

In short

ONS unit group 8111, in minor group 811 (Process operatives) and major group 8 (Process, plant and machine operatives).
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

Food, drink and tobacco process operatives set, operate and attend machinery to bake, freeze, heat, crush, mix, blend and otherwise process foodstuffs, beverages and tobacco leaves.

Typical entry routes

There are no formal academic entry requirements, though some GCSEs/S grades can be an advantage. Off and on-the-job training is available. Vocational qualifications related to food and drink manufacturing, including apprenticeships, are available at up to level 3.

Tasks

sets, operates and attends machinery and ovens to mix, bake and otherwise prepare bread and flour confectionery products
operates machinery to crush, mix, malt, cook and ferment grains and fruits to produce beer, wines, malt liquors, vinegar, yeast and related products
attends equipment to make jam, toffee, cheese, processed cheese, margarine, syrup, ice, pasta, ice-cream, sausages, chocolate, maize starch, edible fats and dextrin
operates equipment to cool, heat, dry, roast, blanch, pasteurise, smoke, sterilise, freeze, evaporate and concentrate foodstuffs and liquids used in food processing
mixes, pulps, grinds, blends and separates foodstuffs and liquids with churning, pressing, sieving, grinding and filtering equipment
processes tobacco leaves by hand or machine to make cigarettes, cigars, pipe and other tobacco products

Related job titles

Baker (food products mfr)
Bakery assistant
Factory worker (food products mfr)
Meat processor (meat packing)
Process worker (brewery)
Process worker (dairy)

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

8111 Food, drink and tobacco process operatives

Examples of related job titles (non-exhaustive)

Baker (food products mfr)
Bakery assistant
Factory worker (food products mfr)
Meat processor (meat packing)
Process worker (brewery)
Process worker (dairy)

Other unit groups in minor group 811

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.

All 412 occupation codes

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