The UK government has enacted major changes to its immigration laws, by increasing the skilled worker visa salary requirement by 48% and removing the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) along with the 20% salary concession.
This means that the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) will be discontinued and replaced by the Immigration Salary List (ISL) from April 4, 2024, following guidance from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which also proposed initial occupations for the ISL.
This was reported by the UK Home Office, whose aim is to decrease the net migration figure.
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has issued a report seen by TheWitness detailing recommendations for occupations to be included in the newly established Immigration Salary List (ISL).
A significant alteration to the UK’s immigration framework includes changes to the Skilled Worker (SW) pathway.
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was therefore tasked with a swift evaluation of the Immigration Salary List (ISL).
The MAC’s report recommends including 21 occupations in the ISL, representing 8% of the SW route’s job roles by employment, a decrease from the previous 30% under the SOL.
The government insists on listing only roles that are both skilled and in shortage, emphasizing that no industry should permanently depend on migration. The list’s purpose is not to decrease wages or hinder the hiring of UK workers.
