With the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) report:
points-based system and salary thresholds out today, CLA
President Mark Bridgeman said:
“Many of the changes suggested to the Tier 2 system are
positive, but they do not go far enough in securing the needs of
the rural economy. The report calls for the expansion of
eligibility to include medium-skilled occupations and has advised
the Government to reduce the salary threshold for immigrants from
£30,000 to £25,600. This is a positive step towards Government
recognising that industry requires a balance of skilled and
unskilled migrant workers, but it must go further and be
accompanied by a redefinition what is skilled and unskilled
labour.
“If the report’s recommendation to not support lower salary
thresholds on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) - an
official list of jobs for which there are
not enough resident workers to fill vacancies - is
accepted, it will be vital for Government to put forward
recommendations on how to meet labour shortages from the domestic
supply of workers.
“Many rural industries are facing labour shortages in low
skilled and low paid sectors, threatening to damage businesses
and limit economic growth. It is Government’s job to ensure rural
businesses have access to the workers they need to
operate.
“Furthermore, a new immigration system must move away from
a definition of skills based solely on qualifications to a more
flexible definition, including skills that are not necessarily
quantified with a certificate.”
Click here to
read the Migration Advisory Committee report here, published
January 28th 2020.
