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In response to the SOL submitted earlier this year (May 2023), Professor Brian Bell and the MAC have recommended that 10 occupations, including in the manufacturing and construction sectors be added to the SOL. They have also recommended keeping health and social care and construction occupations already included on the interim SOL, on the list.
Occupations put forward by the MAC for inclusion include retrofitters within the construction sector, and pharmaceutical and laboratory technicians within the life sciences sector.
On the future of the process, the MAC has advised the Home Secretary that the SOL, as it currently stands, should either be abolished or heavily reformed. The committee said it was not convinced the list provides a “sensible immigration solution”. Instead, the MAC suggested it could be commissioned to carry out standalone reviews of the role of immigration in certain sectors, such as manufacturing or hospitality. It has also proposed a 'major/minor review framework' for the SOL to ensure clarity and consistency as the current process happens every 3 years.
It's good to see the MAC recognising sectors still in shortage, like construction and health and social care, and we are particularly pleased to see the recommendation around retrofitters, which we specifically highlighted in our submission. We were also pleased to that the MAC recognised the pitfalls of the most recent SOL consultation, which used the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes, rather than the most recent 2020 codes, meaning many of the occupations we're seeing in shortage weren't eligible for inclusion in this particular review. To be effective, future consultations must use the most recent codes, that better reflect the labour market.
The MACs recommendation that the Home Office conduct an in-depth sectoral analysis into the reliance of overseas workers in the UK economy (for example, in sectors like driving, logistics, and health and social care) is sensible. However, the Home Office must work with employers and recruiters who can provide data, insights, and potential solutions to be truly effective.
One of the REC's recommendations is to better align the immigration system with our labour and skills requirements in the short-medium term. Part of achieving this will be to ensure the MAC operates as an effective institution by giving a greater voice to those stakeholders - employers and recruiters - experiencing the problem. Turning the MAC into a tripartite body, which gives these stakeholders a greater voice on immigration and labour market policy is one way of doing this, and something we'll be pushing for going forward.
We will shortly be reaching out to Professor Brian Bell and relevant civil servants to discuss how the SOL can be most effective in future consultations. Alongside other trade bodies, we will also be asking why certain occupations, for example across the warehousing space, were not put forward for the Shortage Occupation List, despite the evidence suggesting they should’ve been.
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