The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will scrutinise the skilled
worker visa route, now the main route for people to apply to work
in the UK, at 10am on Thursday 8th
May.
The National Audit Office (NAO) reported on the skilled worker
visa route in 2025. Its report
found that changes to the route, such as the tightening of
requirements in spring 2024, have not
always been based on a full assessment of potential impacts
on different industries and parts of the country. The report
found that the Home Office processes most 'straightforward' visa
applications promptly and has reduced the time it takes to
process sponsor licence applications, but does not include
'complex' cases in its published data on service standards.
There are also significant issues around the Home Office's
understanding of what happens to people when their visa expires
and tackling labour market exploitation, with widespread evidence
of exploitation in the care sector, including those using Skilled
Worker visas, and increasing risks in the construction sector.
The NAO found that the scale of exploitation of skilled worker
visa holders is not fully known, including criminal activity such
as trafficking, forced labour or debt bondage, and labour market
abuse.
The PAC will hear from senior Home Office officials, including
the new Permanent Secretary Dame , on subjects including:
- How government will to achieve its stated aims of using the
system to attract the skills the country needs and to support
economic growth;
- How the Home Office will tackle non-compliance and abuse
within the system; and
- How customer service levels will be improved.
Witnesses
Panel from 10am:
- Dame DCB, Permanent Secretary at
Home Office
-
, Second Permanent Secretary
at Home Office
- Dan Hobbs, Director General,
Migration and Borders Group at Home Office
- Marc Owen CBE, Director for Visa,
Status and Information Services at Home Office
