Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria the Migration Advisory Committee used to assess the revised shortage occupation list.

In the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) review of the construction sector earlier this year they recommended adding five occupations to the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) on an interim basis ahead of the full review.

The MAC are due to submit their full review of the SOL later this year, and the Government will carefully consider their recommendations once received.

A detailed methodology of how occupations are assessed for entry to SOL can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/methodology-for-the-mac-shortage-occupation-list

We are in regular discussions with the MAC about their future workplan. The MAC are first and foremost, labour market experts but have in the past, considered issues such as housing and public services during its work: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/migration-advisory-committee-mac-report-points-based-system-and-salary-thresholds

Given the independence of the MAC, they are free to engage with any stakeholders or experts which will help them formulate recommendations in response to Government commissions.