The "independent" Migration Advisory Committee's (MAC) has provided the long-awaited review of Tier 2 immigration was released on 19 January 2016; It recommends that the UK government is required to impose even tighter immigration controls for Tier 2 Visas. The MAC recommendations have been greeted with criticism from many UK employers/businesses, who say that the measures will lead to increased costs and make recruiting more difficult.

Tier 2 visa rules require candidates to have a job offer from an employer with a Tier 2 sponsorship licence. In some cases employer also need to complete a resident labour market test to show that there is a shortage of people with the relevant skills in the UK and must pay the salary as required for the role under Tier 2.