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Migration Advisory Committee minutes, 13 January 2023

Updated 8 December 2023

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Migration Advisory Committee
2nd Floor, Peel Building NE
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Minutes of the 159th meeting of the Migration Advisory Committee.

Friday 13 January 2023, 10am to 12:30pm

Hybrid conference

Attending

  • Professor Brian Bell
  • Professor Dina Kiwan
  • Professor Sergi Pardos-Prado
  • Madeleine Sumption
  • Professor Jo Swaffield
  • Matthew Leng
  • Vikkie Cawthorne
  • Toby Nutley
  • MAC Secretariat

Apologies

  • Della McVay

Agenda item 1 – welcome and introductions

  1. Brian Bell opened the meeting and welcomed the attendees.

Agenda item 2 – Home Office, MAC Secretariat and MAC updates

2. Matt Leng updated the committee and secretariat on Home Office business. Matt stated that finishing touches were being made to advice going out next week to recommend resuming the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) review. He mentioned cross-Whitehall meetings on adult social care had resumed. Matt also spoke about conversations with DHSC regarding Immigration Skills Charge exemptions. Matt highlighted engagement with ministers on updating salary thresholds across work visa routes. Matt also mentioned advice was being drafted regarding the MAC’s annual report, specifically regarding proposals for a rural visa pilot.

3. Toby Nutley informed the committee of recent MAC work, including input provided on the SOL submission and Minimum Income Requirement advice. Toby mentioned progress on the final fieldwork for the employer’s qualitative research. Toby announced the Deputy Director advert would be posted soon. Toby highlighted some positive feedback from the Welsh government regarding the annual report.

Agenda item 3 – Annual report lessons learned

4. The secretariat updated the committee on the internal ‘lessons learned’ discussion undertaken during the week, covering the main takeaways from the session. The committee then shared their thoughts on positives of the annual report process, and areas that could be improved in the future. Matt provided positives from a Home Office perspective.

Agenda item 4 – Migrant wage progression

5. The secretariat provided the committee with an update on analysis undertaken on immigrant downgrading and migrant wages, and asked for challenge on the analysis.

Agenda item 5 – Evidence projects update – seasonal workers and job vacancy data

6. The secretariat presented updates on 2 of the evidence projects – seasonal workers and job vacancies, and highlighted initial questions for the committee on how to take the themes forward.

Agenda item 6 – Quarterly devolved administration briefing and Welsh labour market

7. The secretariat updated the committee on the third quarterly devolved administration briefing. Brian Bell updated on a conversation with a Financial Times journalist on Transit visas.

Agenda item 7 – Sponsorship transformation programme update

8. Vikkie Cawthorne presented an update on the Sponsorship Transformation Project and answered questions from the committee.

Agenda item 8 – AOB

9. Jo Swaffield enquired about the possibility of making committee meetings hybrid on a more regular basis.

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