The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, has officially asked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to provide advice to the government on ‘a number of issues concerning potential future thresholds and the range at which they could be set’ for skilled workers who enter the UK under the future immigration system.
Due to report on this issue during January 2020, a year before the new immigration system is due to come into force, the MAC has been asked to consider a range of issues including:
- the mechanism for calculating future salary thresholds;
- the salary threshold levels;
- regional salary thresholds;
- exceptions to salary thresholds.
Full details of the work the MAC has been commissioned to undertake can be found in the Home Secretary’s commissioning letter to the chair of the MAC.
Engagement and evidence will be essential
In his response letter, the MAC’s Chair, Professor Alan Manning, confirmed that:
‘The MAC looks forward to engaging with colleagues in government, business and all other interested parties to produce a high quality evidence-based report in response to this commission.’
Although the government does not have to take the MAC’s recommendations into account when setting immigration policy, its work on this particular issue is likely to have a significant impact on the new post-Brexit immigration system for skilled workers, including EU workers. (If the UK has left the EU by the time the new system comes into force).
We would strongly recommend that all employers and other organisations that may need to rely on the tier 2 skilled worker migration routes in the future ensure that they respond when the MAC calls for evidence.
Further information
If you need any information on the current minimum salary requirement for skilled workers or on any other aspects of immigration law, please contact us.
