The UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has launched a Call for Evidence to gather input on the country’s Skilled Worker Visa system amid immigration reduction plans.
The committee seeks feedback from workers, employers, experts, and the public on the effectiveness of the visa system, particularly following recent changes introduced in spring 2024.
According to the UK Parliament, the PAC’s inquiry follows reports from the National Audit Office (NAO) and the PAC’s previous concerns regarding the visa system.
The PAC’s 2011 report raised alarms about the points-based system and its ability to protect resident workers, while ensuring that migrant workers and employers comply with immigration rules. The most recent report from the NAO, published in 2025, evaluates the Skilled Worker Visa route and highlights concerns about recent changes that were introduced without fully assessing their impact on various industries and regions.
The PAC is particularly interested in hearing about the effects of the changes made in spring 2024, as well as the progress on digitizing the system and ensuring compliance across the board. The inquiry also aims to address concerns about how the system is working in practice, especially with the introduction of stricter entry requirements and expanded visa pathways.
Key areas of focus
Details inform that the PAC’s inquiry will focus on several key aspects of the Skilled Worker Visa system. This includes understanding how the changes introduced in 2024 are affecting different industries and whether the system is working as intended.
There will be a specific emphasis on whether the updated digital elements of the visa system are progressing as expected, as well as how the Home Office ensures that immigration rules are being followed.
A key part of the inquiry will also involve assessing the impact of the tighter rules introduced earlier in 2024, aimed at reducing net migration. These changes, which have yet to be fully evaluated in terms of their regional and sectoral impact, have raised concerns about their effect on industries that rely heavily on migrant labor.
Who can contribute evidence?
The PAC is inviting a wide range of stakeholders to submit evidence. This includes skilled workers who have experience with the visa system, employers and businesses who rely on migrant workers, immigration advisors, representatives from the healthcare and care sectors, and researchers or advocacy groups with insights into the system’s functioning.
The PAC emphasizes that it is seeking policy-related evidence and cannot assist with individual visa cases. Those interested in participating should ensure their submissions are not already publicly available online.
How to submit evidence
Evidence can be submitted through the UK Parliament website, with the deadline set on April 24th, 2025. Individuals and organizations wishing to contribute are encouraged to submit their feedback online through the specified portal.
This inquiry offers an opportunity for those with firsthand experience of the Skilled Worker Visa system to help shape the future of UK immigration policy. By participating, stakeholders can provide valuable insights into how the system functions in practice and suggest improvements for its operation going forward.
Deadline and submission guidelines
Submissions must be made before the April deadline. The PAC urges all interested parties to ensure their evidence is relevant and focuses on policy issues rather than individual cases. The call for evidence can be accessed directly on the UK Parliament website at the designated link.
The PAC’s inquiry further aims to ensure that the Skilled Worker Visa system meets the needs of both workers and employers, while maintaining the integrity of UK immigration rules. With over 230,000 applications for the visa route in 2024 alone, the results of this inquiry could have significant implications for future immigration policy and the role of migrant workers in the UK economy.
What to know
The changes involved in 2024, noted rules were introduced that limit which care providers can recruit care workers and senior care workers for positions in England.
- By March 11th, 2024, care providers must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and must be engaged in regulated activities to recruit care workers or senior care workers.
- These rules do not apply to roles in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, where discussions are ongoing about potential similar requirements.
The changes also included:
- A ban on care workers and senior care workers (SOC codes 6145 and 6146) arriving with dependants.
While this may make the route less appealing for those with families, it remains an option for health and care workers, and many who are still expected to apply to work in the UK.
Transitional provisions allow those already working in the UK under the old rules to continue working for non-CQC-regulated providers. However, these providers will not be able to recruit new staff unless they are CQC registered.
- This means that individuals who were already working in the UK under the old rules can continue to work for care providers that are not registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). However, those non-CQC registered care providers cannot hire new staff unless they become CQC registered.
- In other words, existing employees can stay on, but to recruit new care workers in the future, the care provider must be registered with the CQC.
Additionally, dependents of care workers who arrived before the rule change can stay, extend their visas, and ultimately settle. If a care worker arrived before the changes without their dependants, they can bring their dependants to the UK during their leave period.
