Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 11
37th Report - Immigration: Skilled worker visas
Published 4 Jul 2025
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Immigration: Skilled worker visas All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
In July 2024, the government announced plans to develop closer links between immigration policy and sectoral labour market policies.21 The Home Office said this would lead to a better understanding of how to flex Skilled Worker visas.22 This includes bringing together bodies such as Skills England and equivalent organisations in devolved nations, the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, Department of Work and Pensions and Migration Advisory Committee.23 Shortly after our evidence session, the government published its Immigration White Paper, which formalised 14 Q 10 15 Q 21 16 Q 12 17 Qq 16, 18 18 Qq 19-25 19 Q 14 20 Qq 5, 12, 16 21 C&AG’s Report, para 2.10 22 Q 6 23 Qq 13, 16, 18, 24 12 these arrangements by establishing the Labour Market Evidence Group. The aim is to strengthen the evidence base on the state of the labour market and the role that different policies should play, rather than always relying on migration.24 The Home Office told us that it had begun to consider how this body will operate, and hoped to get the necessary processes and structures in place in a matter of months.25 Understanding how the Skilled Worker visa route is operating
From: Public Accounts Committee, 37th Report - Immigration: Skilled worker visas (HC 819), 4 July 2025
Government response
Latest Treasury Minutes progress report to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirty-seventh Report of Session 2024-26
The government responded to the whole report on 4 June 2026 (deadline 4 September 2025).
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirty-seventh report from Session 2024-26
Published 15 October 2025.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government agrees with the Committee's recommendations on labour market evidence, evaluation, care workers, exploitation and compliance, but disagrees with the recommendation on customer service.
- On sector workforce analysis, it agrees that other departments should provide more rigorous analysis, with a target implementation date of July 2026, and says the Labour Market Evidence Group "will further strengthen collaboration" between the Home Office and departments leading on labour market and skills.
- It agrees to set out its evaluation of the Skilled Worker route, with a target date of October 2025, stating that the evaluation was published alongside the Immigration White Paper on 12 May.
- On exploitation, it agrees with the recommendation (target date April 2027) and says an update to the Committee is planned for April 2027, "one year after its creation" of the Fair Work Agency.
- It disagrees with the customer service recommendation, stating the Home Office "is committed to continuous improvement in customer service standards" and that it monitors key indicators.