The Migration Advisory Committee

This section describes the work of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).

The information in this section is produced by the MAC's Secretariat. The Secretariat is independent of the UK Border Agency..

Parts of this section were archived following the formation of the current UK government in May 2010. To view the section as it appeared prior to May 2010, visit the UK government web archive.

Call for evidence on the review of the Tier 2 codes of practice

Further to the commission from the Government outlined below asking the MAC to review the Tier 2 codes of practice, the MAC has launched a call for evidence to gather views and evidence from corporate partners to help the MAC respond to the Government's questions. The document also sets out some initial dates for meetings with interested parties.

The call for evidence document includes details of how to respond to the MAC. The deadline for responses is 27 July 2012.

MAC commissioned to review the Tier 2 codes of practice (27 April 2012)

On 27 April the Minister for Immigration commissioned the MAC to undertake a review of the Tier 2 codes of practice. Specifically, the MAC has been asked to:

• update the list of occupations skilled to National Qualifications Framework 6 (NQF6) to reflect the new SOC 2010 classification;
• advise on the design of the Codes of Practice framework including:

• how the current codes could be simplified or streamlined;
• whether and how the consistency of approach across different sectors and occupations could be improved; and,
• how often and in what manner the Codes of Practice should be updated;

• advise minimum appropriate salary rate for occupations and, where necessary, separate occupation minimum salary for both new entrants and experienced employees; and,
• advise on what the appropriate advertising requirements under the Resident Labour Market should be.

The MAC has been asked to report to the minister by 30 September 2012.

The MAC will be eliciting the views of partners through a call for evidence. This will be launched in the next 2 weeks on this website and events and meetings with partners will be held until the end of July.

MAC publishes report on the limit on Tier 2 (General) for 2012/13 and associated policies (28 February 2012)

The MAC has today published a report on the limit on Tier 2 (General) for 2012/13 and associated policies.

In October 2011 the Government asked the MAC to advise at what level should the limit on Tier 2 (General) be set at for 2012, taking account of the economic, labour market, social and public service impacts of the limit; and of the uptake of Tier 2 (General) and intra-company transferee visas in 2011/12. The MAC was also asked to consider some associated policies, including the intra-company transfer route, the resident labour market test and the minimum skill level for Tier 2. This report presents the MAC's findings and recommendations.

The MAC has also published 2 research reports today. The external research reports are available on the Migration Advisory Committee research page.

MAC publishes report on the impacts of migration (10 January 2012)

In May 2011 the Government asked the MAC to 'research the labour market, social and public service impacts of non-EEA migration; and to advise on the use of such evidence in cost-benefit analysis of migration policy decisions.'

The MAC has today published a report that addresses this question.

It is also publishing 6 external research reports, which it commissioned to inform the above work. The views expressed in these reports reflect those of the contractors and not necessarily those of the MAC.

The MAC report and the external research reports are available on the Analysis of the impacts of migration page.

MAC publishes report on the family migration route (16 November 2011)

The MAC has today published a report on the minimum income requirement for sponsorship under the family migration route.

In July 2011 the government asked the MAC to consider the following question: 'What should the minimum income threshold be for sponsoring spouses/partners and dependants in order to ensure that the sponsor can support his/her spouse or civil or other partner and any dependants independently without them becoming a burden on the State.' The MAC report addresses this question.

MAC publishes reports on settlement and restrictions on workers from Bulgaria and Romania (4 November 2011)

The MAC has today published a report to the government on how to determine which skilled migrant workers can settle in the UK. The MAC was commissioned by the government in June 2011 to identify the most suitable economic criteria for determining which Tier 2 migrant workers could settle permanently in the UK and what the economic effects of restricting or removing Tier 1 or Tier 2 settlement rights would be.

The MAC has also today published a report to the government on the current employment restrictions on workers from Bulgaria and Romania. The MAC was asked in May 2011 to consider whether the UK labour market is currently experiencing, or threatened by a serious disturbance, and to look at the consequences of maintaining or lifting the current employment restrictions on workers from these countries.

Call for evidence on the level of the annual limit on Tier 2 and associated policies (26 October 2011)

The MAC has launched a call for evidence to run for 8 weeks on the level of the limit on Tier 2 of the points-based ystem in 2012/13 and associated policies, including the intra-company transfer route, the resident labour market test and the minimum skill level for Tier 2. This follows a commission from the Minister for Immigration.

The MAC invites evidence in response to this commission, and a call for an evidence document has been produced setting out details of the commission and how to respond. The deadline for evidence to be sent to the MAC is 21 December 2011.