Migration Advisory Committee Recommends Sweeping Changes To Shortage Occupation List

The Migration Advisory Committee MAC released its full review of the Shortage Occupation List for the Skilled Worker route on 3 October 2023. Key recommendations include the abolition of the shortage list and to allow asylum-seekers with the right to work to occupy any job.

Although at first glance these recommendations appear radical, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has identified that the role of the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) has significantly diminished under the Skilled Worker (SW) route in comparison with the pre-Brexit Tier 2 (General) route.

SOL occupations were exempt from resident labour market testing (RLMT) requirement applicable to Tier 2 (General), saving sponsors effort and time on recruitment exercises that would likely be fruitless. Under the SW route, there is no formal RLMT necessary.