The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has welcomed the Home Office’s confirmation that a new advisory body will be launched to help inform UK immigration policy.

Tom Hadley (pictured), the REC’s director of external relationss, says: “Staff shortages in a number of key sectors has continued to increase which underlines the need to ensure that immigration policy reflects labour market trends rather than being solely driven by political rhetoric.

“As a result, the REC welcomes today's announcement and urges the Home Office to empower this new body so that it has tangible input into the UK’s managed migration policy.”

The REC is already represented on a number of Home Office working groups including the Illegal Working Stakeholder Group and the Employers Alliance.