The UK’s Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has shared its latest review of salary rules for sponsored work visas. These rules affect popular routes, such as the Skilled Worker visa, Global Business Mobility, and a few others. The review isn’t law yet, but the MAC’s advice usually shapes what the government does next.

Let’s break it down in what it means for you in simple terms.

Key Changes Suggested By The MAC

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is responsible for researching migration and immigration issues. They suggested that the current salary requirement for work visa routes is very high. Here is what they recommended.

Skilled Worker Route

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) thinks the current salary rules for the Skilled Worker Visas are too high for many jobs. So it suggests:

• Using lower, occupation-specific salary data based on the 25th percentile instead of the median.
• Keeping the general salary threshold at 41,700 pounds, although 48,400 pounds is mentioned as another possible level.
• Setting a single new entrant salary rate of 33,400 pounds and letting people use the new entrant discount for longer than four years.
• Removing the PhD salary discount entirely.
• If the government keeps special rules for post-doctoral roles, those jobs should have one salary level of 41,700 pounds for up to four years.

Global Business Mobility

For routes like Senior or Specialist Workers and UK Expansion Workers, the MAC wants salary levels set at the median pay for each eligible job. For Graduate Trainees, it suggests one simple threshold of 33,400 pounds and removing job-specific salary bands.

Temporary Shortage List

The MAC recommends that the roles on the Temporary Shortage Occupation list, the general threshold should be at least £30,900, with occupation-based rates set at the median for each job.

• A minimum salary of 30,900 pounds.
• Occupation-specific salaries are set at the median for each job.
• No salary discounts at all.

Scale-up Route

Salary requirements and regulations for the Scale-up route should match those of the Skilled Worker route.

Why This Matters

For now, nothing changes. Employers still have to follow the current immigration rules. The government must first decide whether to accept the MAC’s suggestions.

But here’s the thing. The MAC carries a lot of weight. When it recommends something, the government often agrees within a short time.

If these proposals go ahead, some salary thresholds could drop. That means employers might find it easier to hire overseas talent and fill roles that are tough to recruit for locally.

What Happens Next

The UK government will review the MAC’s advice and choose what to implement. Once a decision is made, we’ll know how salary rules for work visas will change in practice.

Until then, everyone is watching to see which proposals make the final cut.

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