The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published a review of salary requirements for work visas, recommending that the main Skilled Worker salary threshold remains at £41,700 and calling for changes to occupation-specific thresholds and salary discounts across the immigration system.
The review was published on December 17th, 2025 by the Migration Advisory Committee, an independent body that advises the government on migration, following a commission from the Home Office in a letter dated July 2nd, 2025. The committee also released its 2025 Annual Report and Governance Report on the same day.
Review of work visa salary requirements
In a letter to the Home Secretary, MAC chair Professor Brian Bell said: “I am pleased to inform you that we have today published our review of the salary requirements for work visas.” The review covers the Skilled Worker route, the Health and Care Worker route, the Global Business Mobility route, and the Scale-up route.
The committee states that salary thresholds can serve different purposes, including preventing underpayment, encouraging employers to recruit domestically, improving public finances, raising productivity, or reducing net migration. It adds that the most appropriate threshold depends on which objective the government prioritises.
For the Skilled Worker route, the committee recommends keeping the general salary threshold at £41,700. It says this level provides fiscal benefits, allows key sectors to recruit workers, and reflects differences in pay across the UK. The report notes that higher thresholds could lead to a small reduction in net migration but would be less positive for public finances and could require longer salary discounts for younger workers.
Occupation-specific salary thresholds
The report reviews occupation-specific thresholds that were raised to the 50th percentile of earnings in April 2024. The committee says that if the aim of this change was to reduce net migration, it was not an effective approach because it places greater restrictions on lower-paid occupations.
According to the review, these higher thresholds no longer effectively prevent undercutting of domestic workers while still allowing some roles within occupations to use the system. The committee recommends returning occupation-specific thresholds to the 25th percentile of earnings, which it considers sufficient for this purpose.
Discounts and entry-level pay
The committee recommends changes to discounted salary thresholds for certain groups. It proposes a single new entrant salary rate of £33,400, which it says would allow a typical graduate entrant to be recruited through the migration system.
The review recommends abolishing the PhD salary discount, stating that there is no evidence that PhD holders earn less than the average worker. It also says that if the £41,700 general threshold is maintained, a separate postdoctoral discount would no longer be necessary. The committee reports that it found no strong evidence to support the introduction of new discounts.
Other routes and annual report findings
The MAC also makes recommendations on salary thresholds for the Temporary Shortage List, the Global Business Mobility route, and Health and Care roles covered by the review. It advises the government to avoid setting up routes such as the Scale-up visa unless there is a clear labour market need, citing low uptake.
The 2025 Annual Report focuses on the family visa route, overseas domestic workers, and English language proficiency. It finds that family visa migrants are initially fiscally positive but have a net lifetime cost overall, although the highest-earning 10% make a positive lifetime contribution.
The report also highlights issues on the overseas domestic worker route, including evidence of exploitation, and identifies English language skills as important for labour market outcomes and integration.
The committee said it is still awaiting a response from the Home Office on its earlier recommendations on family visa financial requirements.
Link to Review:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-salary-requirements/review-of-salary-requirements-accessible
