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Skills Shortages

If skills shortages impact your business, it is vital that you contribute to the current review of the Skilled Shortage Occupation Lists, being undertaken by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) on behalf of the UK Government.

This Commission runs until 10 June. You are being sent this e-mail as part of an effort by a number of partners (including Scottish Government, Alliance of Sector Skills Councils (ASSC), Scottish Enterprise and Skills Development Scotland) to raise awareness of this review and to support employers in Scotland with this process.

To help identify occupations and employers in Scotland affected by shortages, the ASSC is conducting a very short 5 minute on-line survey of employers that we would be very grateful if you would complete. This information will be used as a starting point for identifying skills shortage issues. However, we would urge employers with a strong interest in this to also respond to the MAC directly to ensure their points are fully considered (details below). This survey will remain open until the 3^rd May.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Skillshortages

Please note: If you have recently contributed to Scottish Enterprise skills surveys covering Life Sciences and Engineering, Advanced ICT and Digital Media, thank you, your views on skills shortages have already been captured.

In addition, the MAC is also going to come to Scotland around the 18 and 19 May to speak directly with employers. We are in the process of developing a program of meetings so if you would like an opportunity to meet with the MAC directly and discuss skills shortages issues affecting your business please contact Amanda Callaghan at the Scottish Government on 0131 2440735 or by e-mail: Amanda.callaghan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk by the 2^nd May.

Background

The MAC, who provide the UK Government with advice on migration issues, is giving businesses, employer organisations and Sector Skills Councils an opportunity to say where there are skills shortages and submit evidence to support that view. This information will then be used to compile a list of shortage occupations that can be sensibly filled by non-EEA migration under Tier 2 of the UK Government’s Points Based System for Immigration. The review will close on 10 June.

Occupations on this list have priority in the monthly allocation of Certificates of Sponsorship, so the outcome of the current review of the Skilled Shortage Occupations Lists may significantly affect the ability of employers to recruit skilled workers outwith the European Economic area in the future. Occupations already on the list are also being reviewed.

A link to further information about the MAC and about  submitting evidence directly to the MAC is attached below:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/mac