The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published a new lifetime-impact model showing that migrants admitted to the United Kingdom on Skilled Worker and Health-and-Care Worker visas in 2022-23 are expected to generate a net £47 billion in fiscal revenues over the course of their stay.
The study – released on 11 December 2025 – combines HM Revenue & Customs tax data with Home Office visa information and long-term demographic assumptions. It finds that the top-earning 10 per cent of skilled migrants will each contribute an average of £2.7 million in tax, more than double earlier projections that did not capture performance-related bonuses and stock awards. Even lower-paid care workers – the group most affected by recent tightening of visa rules – are projected to make a positive or neutral contribution once National Insurance, VAT and reduced age-related health costs are factored in.
MAC chair Professor Brian Bell notes that the figures “fundamentally challenge the narrative that cutting work visas automatically saves money,” warning that blanket caps could deprive the Exchequer of billions just as public-service budgets tighten. The report urges ministers to preserve family-re-union rights and to avoid “knee-jerk” salary-threshold hikes that deter high-potential candidates in sectors such as AI, life sciences and clean tech.
![Skilled work migrants forecast to add £47 billion to UK public finances, MAC reveals]()
As businesses and individuals digest these conclusions, many will need clear, up-to-date guidance on navigating the UK’s fast-changing sponsorship rules. VisaHQ’s United Kingdom platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) provides end-to-end assistance with Skilled Worker, Health-and-Care Worker and dependant applications—handling document checks, government fee payments and appointment scheduling—to help both employers and applicants remain compliant while policy debates evolve.
For employers, the data provide fresh ammunition in lobbying efforts against December’s 32 per cent rise in the Immigration Skills Charge and the forthcoming English-language test reforms due in 2026. Larger sponsors are already modelling whether to accelerate Certificate-of-Sponsorship (CoS) assignments before the higher fees take effect next week. Mobility managers are also reminded that dependants are not a fiscal drag: MAC finds that partners in skilled households have an 81 per cent labour-market participation rate – far higher than the UK average.
Practically, the report may influence the Spring 2026 Immigration White Paper, where the Treasury is expected to argue for a more nuanced, revenue-oriented migration strategy. Companies relying on overseas expertise should keep detailed evidence of salary packages, tax paid and innovation outcomes to support policy consultations in the New Year.
The study – released on 11 December 2025 – combines HM Revenue & Customs tax data with Home Office visa information and long-term demographic assumptions. It finds that the top-earning 10 per cent of skilled migrants will each contribute an average of £2.7 million in tax, more than double earlier projections that did not capture performance-related bonuses and stock awards. Even lower-paid care workers – the group most affected by recent tightening of visa rules – are projected to make a positive or neutral contribution once National Insurance, VAT and reduced age-related health costs are factored in.
MAC chair Professor Brian Bell notes that the figures “fundamentally challenge the narrative that cutting work visas automatically saves money,” warning that blanket caps could deprive the Exchequer of billions just as public-service budgets tighten. The report urges ministers to preserve family-re-union rights and to avoid “knee-jerk” salary-threshold hikes that deter high-potential candidates in sectors such as AI, life sciences and clean tech.
As businesses and individuals digest these conclusions, many will need clear, up-to-date guidance on navigating the UK’s fast-changing sponsorship rules. VisaHQ’s United Kingdom platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) provides end-to-end assistance with Skilled Worker, Health-and-Care Worker and dependant applications—handling document checks, government fee payments and appointment scheduling—to help both employers and applicants remain compliant while policy debates evolve.
For employers, the data provide fresh ammunition in lobbying efforts against December’s 32 per cent rise in the Immigration Skills Charge and the forthcoming English-language test reforms due in 2026. Larger sponsors are already modelling whether to accelerate Certificate-of-Sponsorship (CoS) assignments before the higher fees take effect next week. Mobility managers are also reminded that dependants are not a fiscal drag: MAC finds that partners in skilled households have an 81 per cent labour-market participation rate – far higher than the UK average.
Practically, the report may influence the Spring 2026 Immigration White Paper, where the Treasury is expected to argue for a more nuanced, revenue-oriented migration strategy. Companies relying on overseas expertise should keep detailed evidence of salary packages, tax paid and innovation outcomes to support policy consultations in the New Year.
