“No preference for EU over non-EU workers”

Today, the Migration Advisory Committee (“MAC”), established by the Home Office Secretary, Amber Rudd in July 2017 to examine the impact on the UK labour marker of the UK’s exit from the European Union, issued its final report regarding EEA migration in the UK.

The final MAC’s report made a number of important findings. In particular, attention has been drawn to the fact that according to an official report, EU workers should not have free movement into the UK after Brexit.

The official report states: “If the UK is in a position where it is deciding the main features of its immigration policy our recommendation is that there should be a less restrictive regime for higher-skilled workers than for lower-skilled workers in a system where there is no preference for EEA over non-EEA workers.”

The MAC, however, recommends abolishing the cap on the number of migrants granted Tier 2 (General) visas, which currently apply to skilled workers. In addition, they propose to extend the Tier 2 (General) Scheme to medium-skilled workers in order to avoid potential shortages that might occur after Brexit.

The proposal also includes maintaining existing salary threshold for all migrants in Tier 2, reviewing the Immigration Skills Charge and considering abolishing Resident Labour Market test.

Chan Neill Solicitors stay abreast with all recent news regarding Brexit. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Please note that the information on this page is for general purposes only and is not intended to replace legal advice.