Correspondence from the Home Secretary to the MAC regarding the rapid review of the Immigration Salary List and the review of the Shortage Occupation List
Published 15 March 2024
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Home Secretary
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Professor Brian Bell
Migration Advisory Committee
2nd Floor Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
14 March 2024
Dear Professor Bell,
I am writing to confirm the government’s response to the MAC’s rapid review of the new Immigration Salary List (ISL), and to thank the MAC for completing this review to such a tight deadline. This has enabled us to implement the changes to the contents of the list alongside the other related changes – removing the 20% going rate discount and increasing the Skilled Worker salary threshold to £38,700 – on 4 April. The government intends to lay Immigration Rules to give effect to these changes on 14 March.
The government is accepting the MAC’s recommended ISL in its entirety, other than the exclusion of two fishing occupations (5119 and 9119). We note – and share – the MAC’s concerns about exploitation in the sector and the limited evidence of its efforts to reduce reliance on immigration. These are issues which need to be addressed, however, we believe that the sector needs further support to solve them. The government will work to identify what other (non-immigration) support can be provided to the sector to help, and has decided not to remove the salary threshold discount for them while this work is ongoing (noting that salaries will nevertheless need to rise from £20,480 to £30,960 to qualify, meaning only employers who pay well will be able to make use of the route). Therefore we will include them on the ISL temporarily from April, pending the MAC’s upcoming full review of the list.
The government has also accepted the MAC’s October 2023 recommendation that references to shortage occupations should be removed from the Creative Worker route, and this too will be reflected in the Rules changes we are laying on 14 March. However, we will not apply a salary threshold to this route, as the MAC suggested. We consider this would be incompatible with the diverse and often short-term nature of roles within the creative industries. Instead, we will require that, where there is not a code of practice, workers coming in the route are making a unique contribution to the UK’s cultural life.
I can confirm it is still our intention to commission the MAC to carry out a full review of the ISL – including a full, public call for evidence – over the remainder of 2024. I will write again to confirm the details of this commission shortly.
Thank you and the rest of the MAC once again for carrying out this rapid review. With my very best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
[Signed]
Rt. Hon. James Cleverly MP