The government has asked the committee (MAC), as an independent expert body on migration, to provide advice on the level of the permanent economic migration limit for its first full year of operation. The permanent limit is intended to be implemented from April 2011.
As well as the economic impacts, the MAC will take into account the social and public service impacts of immigration on the UK.
The consultation will be open for submissions until September 7, 2010, and the MAC advice will be presented to the government by the end of that month. A paper setting out the consultation questions and procedures for submitting evidence has been published today.
MAC statement
The committee chair, Professor David Metcalf, said, ‘The Migration Advisory Committee is pleased that it has been asked to carry out this work and looks forward to working with its partners to develop robust and well-informed advice to the government.’
Notes to editors
- The government announced its consultation on an immigration limit on June 28. This is a separate consultation to that published today by the MAC.
- See the full MAC consultation on the UK Border Agency website.
- The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) advises the government on migration issues. It is a non-statutory, non-time-limited, non-departmental public body, sponsored by the UK Border Agency of the Home Office.