By Georgina Griggs –
Immigration Barrister
1. Introduction: MAC Technical Word on Expert Employee Wage Thresholds
On 19 Might 2026, the Migration Advisory Committee MAC printed a technical notice setting out its beneficial methodology for calculating wage thresholds inside the UK immigration system. The notice is especially related to the Expert Employee route, the place employers sponsoring migrant staff should be sure that the wage for the position meets each a basic wage threshold and an occupation-specific wage threshold.
The technical notice doesn’t itself change the Immigration Guidelines. The MAC is evident that duty for setting wage thresholds rests with the Dwelling Workplace. Nonetheless, the notice is essential as a result of it explains how the MAC considers wage thresholds needs to be calculated, up to date and stabilised over time.
For UK employers, sponsors and Expert Employee visa candidates, the notice gives a helpful indication of how future wage necessities could also be approached and why some occupation-specific thresholds could change from yr to yr.
2. Basic Wage Threshold for Expert Employees
Underneath the Expert Employee route, wage necessities are usually calculated by reference to the upper of:
- a basic wage threshold; and
- an occupation-specific threshold, sometimes called the “going price” for the related occupation code.
The MAC recommends calculating the final wage threshold utilizing the newest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) information printed by the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics.
Utilizing ASHE 2025 information, the MAC states that making use of its proposed methodology to RQF Degree 6 occupations and above would produce a basic wage threshold of round £44,000.
Nonetheless, that is solely an illustrative determine. The Dwelling Workplace will in the end determine whether or not to undertake the MAC’s suggestions and what thresholds ought to apply in follow.
3. Occupation-Particular Wage Thresholds
Along with the final threshold, the Expert Employee route additionally requires staff to be paid occupation-specific wage thresholds linked to particular person SOC codes.
In lots of instances, the related “going price” is linked to the twenty fifth percentile of earnings for that occupation. Nonetheless, the MAC notes that some ASHE datasets don’t publish twenty fifth percentile figures as a result of the pattern measurement is taken into account too small to provide dependable information.
This creates a sensible drawback for occupations the place earnings information is incomplete.
The technical notice subsequently units out two proposed strategies for estimating wage thresholds the place official figures are unavailable.
The MAC’s most popular method, the place potential, is to make use of printed ASHE information from earlier years to calculate the historic relationship between median earnings and twenty fifth percentile earnings for the occupation.
In easy phrases, this includes:
- trying on the earlier three years of ASHE information;
- figuring out years during which each median and twenty fifth percentile earnings have been printed;
- calculating the ratio between the median and twenty fifth percentile in these years;
- averaging that ratio; and
- making use of the common ratio to the newest printed median earnings determine.
The MAC makes use of Aerospace Engineers for instance. Though 2025 ASHE information didn’t embrace a printed twenty fifth percentile determine, historic information allowed the MAC to estimate a wage threshold of roughly £45,600.
5. Technique B: Relationship Between Occupational Teams
The place Technique A can’t be used, the MAC recommends a second method based mostly on the connection between earnings in a selected SOC and the broader occupational group to which it belongs.
This methodology includes assessing whether or not the occupation sometimes attracts a wage premium or low cost in contrast with associated professions, earlier than making use of that relationship to printed earnings information for the broader group.
The MAC provides the instance of Probation Officers – SOC 2462. For Probation Officers, neither the twenty fifth percentile nor the median was printed within the 2025 ASHE tables. The MAC subsequently used underlying ASHE information to check Probation Officers with the broader minor occupation group of Welfare Professionals. This resulted in an estimated earnings premium, which was utilized to the printed twenty fifth percentile determine for Welfare Professionals. The ensuing estimated threshold was £33,600, rounded to the closest £100.
The MAC acknowledges that these estimates should not actual and should contain a level of statistical uncertainty, notably for smaller occupations.
6. Smoothing Occupation-Particular Thresholds
One of many extra vital facets of the technical notice is the MAC’s proposal to “easy” occupation-specific wage thresholds over time.
The MAC notes that wage thresholds needs to be up to date yearly in keeping with the newest wage information. Nonetheless, annual updates can result in volatility, notably the place occupation-level information is predicated on smaller pattern sizes. To scale back the danger of sharp actions in wage necessities from one yr to the subsequent, the MAC recommends a smoothing methodology for occupation-specific thresholds.
The proposed smoothing methodology provides weight to the present yr and the 2 earlier years:
- 50% weight to the present yr;
- 30% weight to the earlier yr; and
- 20% weight to the yr earlier than that.
Earlier wage figures would first be adjusted to present wage ranges earlier than the calculation is utilized. In line with the MAC, this method would assist create extra secure and predictable wage thresholds for sponsors and visa candidates.
The MAC provides the instance of IT Enterprise Analysts, Architects and Techniques Designers – SOC 2133. Utilizing twenty fifth percentile earnings information for 2023, 2024 and 2025, and uprating the sooner years to 2025 wage ranges, the MAC calculates a smoothed 2025 occupation-specific threshold of £45,400, rounded to the closest £100.
Though the technical notice doesn’t itself amend the Expert Employee guidelines, it’s related to sponsors and employers as a result of it exhibits how wage thresholds could also be calculated in future.
Specifically, the notice highlights that:
- wage thresholds could proceed to be up to date yearly;
- occupation-specific thresholds could depend upon ASHE information at SOC code stage;
- some thresholds could also be estimated the place printed information is incomplete;
- smoothing could cut back sudden year-on-year adjustments; and
- employers might have to observe each basic and occupation-specific thresholds when planning recruitment.
For sponsor licence holders, wage compliance stays a central a part of Expert Employee sponsorship. Sponsors should be sure that sponsored staff are paid at or above the relevant wage threshold and should additionally adjust to wider sponsor duties, together with record-keeping and reporting obligations.
8. What Ought to Employers Do Now?
Employers who sponsor Expert Employees, or who intend to use for a sponsor licence, ought to maintain wage planning below overview. Specifically, employers could want to:
- determine the proper SOC code for every sponsored position;
- examine whether or not the position is topic to a basic threshold, an occupation-specific threshold or a nationwide pay scale;
- finances for potential annual adjustments to wage necessities;
- overview salaries earlier than assigning Certificates of Sponsorship; and
- search recommendation the place a task sits near the related wage threshold.
The MAC’s technical notice additionally underlines the significance of correct SOC code choice. An incorrect SOC code could result in the fallacious wage threshold being utilized, which might create difficulties for each the employer and the visa applicant.
9. Conclusion
The MAC’s 19 Might 2026 technical notice gives an in depth rationalization of how Expert Employee wage thresholds could possibly be calculated utilizing ASHE earnings information. It recommends an annual replace mechanism, introduces a smoothing methodology for occupation-specific thresholds and explains how thresholds could also be estimated the place printed earnings information is incomplete.
The notice doesn’t, by itself, change the Immigration Guidelines. Nonetheless, it gives an essential indication of the methodology that will inform future wage threshold setting. Employers and sponsor licence holders ought to subsequently proceed to observe developments fastidiously and be sure that wage compliance is constructed into their recruitment and sponsorship processes.
For professional recommendation on Expert Employee wage thresholds, sponsor licence compliance, Certificates of Sponsorship or enterprise immigration planning, contact our immigration barristers on 0203 617 9173 or full our enquiry type.
Our barristers advise employers and people on the Expert Employee route, together with wage necessities, SOC code choice, sponsor licence functions and compliance with sponsor duties.
11. Steadily Requested Questions: Expert Employee Wage Thresholds and the MAC Technical Word
Does the MAC’s technical notice change Expert Employee wage necessities?
No. The MAC’s technical notice doesn’t itself change the Immigration Guidelines. The Dwelling Workplace is liable for deciding which wage thresholds are adopted.
What’s the Expert Employee basic wage threshold?
The overall wage threshold is likely one of the wage necessities that will apply below the Expert Employee route. This stage relies on which possibility a Expert Employee is counting on to fulfill the wage necessities.
What’s an occupation-specific wage threshold?
An occupation-specific wage threshold is the wage stage linked to a specific SOC code. It’s sometimes called the “going price” for the occupation.
Why would possibly some occupation-specific wage thresholds be estimated?
Some occupation-level ASHE information is probably not printed the place pattern sizes are too small. The MAC’s technical notice explains strategies for estimating thresholds the place printed information is incomplete.
What’s smoothing within the MAC’s wage threshold methodology?
Smoothing is a technique designed to scale back sharp year-on-year adjustments in occupation-specific wage thresholds through the use of weighted information from the present yr and the 2 earlier years.
Why is SOC code choice essential for Expert Employee sponsorship?
The SOC code helps decide the related occupation-specific wage threshold. Deciding on the fallacious SOC code could outcome within the fallacious wage requirement being utilized.
What ought to sponsors do earlier than assigning a Certificates of Sponsorship?
Sponsors ought to examine the proper SOC code, determine the related wage threshold, overview the proposed wage and take into account whether or not recommendation is required the place the position is near the relevant threshold.
Please notice that the knowledge offered on this article is for basic
steerage solely and is
based mostly on
the immigration guidelines and insurance policies in power on the date of publication. Immigration regulation and Dwelling
Workplace coverage can change incessantly, and necessities could fluctuate relying on particular person
circumstances. Authorized recommendation ought to at all times be sought in relation to your particular scenario.
