House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Legal Migration
30 July 2024 · Home Office
Proposed by Yvette Cooper Lab Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- The UK government is establishing a new framework involving multiple committees to address labour market challenges.
- The Home Office will commission the Migration Advisory Committee to review key sectors' reliance on international recruitment.
- Proposed sectors for review include IT and engineering.
Issue summary
The statement addresses the issue of net migration levels in the UK and proposes a new approach to link migration policy with skills and labour market policies.
Action requested
The government is setting up a new framework involving the Migration Advisory Committee, Skills England, the Industrial Strategy Council, and the Labour Market Advisory Board to address labour market challenges. The Home Office will commission the MAC to review key sectors' reliance on international recruitment, particularly in IT and engineering.
Key facts
- Net migration in the year to December 2023 was 685,000 compared to 184,000 before the pandemic.
- Non-EU long-term immigration for work-related reasons increased from 277,000 to 423,000 between 2022 and 2023.
- The number of work visas issued in the year to March 2024 was over three times that of 2019, at 605,264.
- The MAC will review sectors relying heavily on international recruitment, focusing on IT and engineering.