MAC to Consider How to Reduce Migrant Labour Demand
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been asked by the Government to look at ways the country can reduce work migration from outside the EU, while making sure Britain remains open to the best talent.
The MAC commission, which will examine how the Tier 2 (Skilled Work) visa system functions, follows the first meeting of the Prime Minister’s newly-formed Immigration Taskforce that has been tasked with reducing net migration, and focuses on the domestic measures that the Government can take to achieve this.
In considering how to significantly reduce non-EEA economic migration, the MAC will advise the Government by the end of the year on:
- restricting work visas to genuine skills shortages and highly specialist experts,
- putting a time limit on how long a sector can claim to have a skills shortage,
- a new skills levy on Tier 2 visas to boost funding to UK apprenticeships, and
- raising salary thresholds to stop businesses using foreign workers to undercut wages.
Whilst the bulk of the Committee’s proposals will be delivered by the end of the year, the Home Secretary has asked it to fast track proposals on raising the salary thresholds of Tier 2 visas in time for the Autumn Immigration Rule changes, to make sure that the immigration system is focused on attracting the brightest and the best skilled workers.
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