MAC publishes 2024 annual report on UK immigration system

Article summary

The Migration Advisory Committee's (MAC) December 2024 annual report highlights significant changes in UK immigration policy following the election of a Labour government in July 2024. The MAC has been tasked with reviewing financial requirements for family visas and examining the use of work immigration routes for IT and Engineering professionals. This forms part of the government's broader strategy to align immigration policy more closely with skills policy and industrial strategy (an aim which is discussed in the report including the uncertainties in relying on such approach as a way of reducng net migration). The report also includes quantitative estimates of the fiscal impact of Skilled Workers, and their households; with a comparison between migrant groups and the native population (this is the first time that the MAC has done this). The report notes recent changes to Health and Care visas, implemented in late 2023 and early 2024, which have led to a...