The new report from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has made a number of immigration policy recommendations for the Government. If implemented, there may be negative consequences for the heritage sector’s ability to access skilled and seasonal workers following our departure from the EU.
Among other things, the report recommends expanding immigration under the Tier 2 system which is primarily set up for multinationals and carries a salary requirement of £30,000 which favours medium and high skill workers. This change could be highly detrimental to the heritage sector in areas such as archaeology and conservation which employ significant numbers of EEA workers on salaries below this threshold. Heritage jobs often involve a high level of skill and add cultural value, but this is not always reflected in salary levels.
The MAC has also proposed to lower the skills requirements for consideration under the Shortage Occupation List from degree equivalent to A level equivalent but would still require workers to meet the salary threshold of £30,000.
As the MAC explicitly argues against any special lower salary threshold for public sector workers, it seems very unlikely that heritage sector workers would be given a reduced threshold.
The report also fails to mention seasonal workers outside of agriculture which is worrying for those looking to employ temporary workers whether for conservation work or for seasonal labour at heritage sites or attractions. Overall, the report suggests a highly negative impact on migration within the UK heritage sector, unless a final deal were to include heritage specific exemptions.
