The mechanism means employers can hire foreign workers to do the roles on the list at 20 per cent below the going rate in their industry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But the system has been widely criticised for being too generous, covering ballet dancers and ‘arts officers’ alongside jobs such as care worker, engineer and bricklayer.<\/span><\/p>\n A Home Office source told MailOnline that the idea was ‘not new’ and ‘no options have been ruled in or out’. Mr Cleverly is reviewing previous work and has ‘not fixed on it or rejected it’.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The prospect has surfaced amid frantic wrangling in Cabinet over how to cut net migration, after it hit an eye-watering new record of 745,000 a year.<\/span><\/p>\n There is frantic wrangling in Cabinet over how to cut net migration, after it hit an eye-watering new record of 745,000 a year\u00a0<\/p>\n A Home Office source told MailOnline that James Cleverly (pictured) is reviewing the idea of scrapping the shortage occupation list but has ‘not fixed on it or rejected it’.<\/p>\n Immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who has been pushing for drastic action, signalled he wants a hard cap on numbers as he was grilled by MPs yesterday.<\/span><\/p>\n However, other ministers including Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary James Cleverly have been striking a different tone amid concerns about the economic impact, pointing out that the level already seems to be easing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr\u00a0Jenrick told the Commons the ‘time for tinkering is over’ and warned that the public were ‘sick of talk’ from politicians as he faced questions on the Government’s plan to address all-time-high levels of net migration.<\/p>\n ‘We are going to bring forward a serious package of fundamental reforms to address this issue once and for all,’ he said.<\/span><\/p>\n ‘The time for tinkering is over. There are definitely strong arguments for using caps, whether in general or on specific visas, but these are conversations that we need to conclude within Government.’<\/p>\n Mr Jenrick added that there was also a strong argument in favour of restricting the number of dependants who can be brought to the UK by foreign workers and other migrants.<\/p>\n He said current levels were ‘unsustainable’ because of the strain they put on public services, including the NHS and school places.<\/p>\n Mr Jenrick claimed migration is also placing ‘unbearable pressure’ on housing and ‘community cohesion’ making ‘successful integration virtually impossible’.<\/p>\n The minister told MPs the health and social care visa \u2013 which saw a 135 per cent leap to 144,000 in the year to September \u2013 was ‘not working as well as even its proponents would have wished’.<\/p>\n He added the ‘key is to encourage the sector to pay better, improve conditions, improve productivity and skills’ so they can fill vacancies with British-based workers rather than go overseas. MPs from the Right of the Conservative Party \u2013 including members of the Common Sense Group \u2013 are pressing for ‘radical’ new policies by the end of the year.<\/p>\n Sacked home secretary Suella Braverman has claimed Rishi Sunak reneged on an agreement to cut legal migration levels, including a proposal to raise the salary threshold for migrant workers from \u00a326,200 to \u00a340,000.<\/p>\n Immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who has been pushing for drastic action, signalled he wants a hard cap on numbers as he was grilled by MPs yesterday<\/p>\n Asked if will unveil a package of reforms by Christmas, Mr Jenrick appeared to make a dig at the Prime Minister as he replied: ‘My plan would have been brought to the House before last Christmas if I could’ve done.’<\/p>\n It is understood plans for migration reform have been put forward to Downing Street, which is yet to make a decision.<\/p>\n Sources said the PM is focused on reforms related to the Rwanda scheme before he will consider changes to legal migration.<\/p>\n It came as ex-Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg warned that mass migration could lead to Conservative defeat at the next general election. The former business secretary said the Government had ‘let down’ the electorate by allowing net migration to spiral to record levels.<\/p>\n He said: ‘Net migration stands at 672,000 for 2023, and this when we have a Government that promised to get the numbers down into the tens of thousands.’<\/p>\n Sir Jacob claimed Mr Sunak appeared to be advocating higher levels on immigration on Monday when he told entrepreneurs the ‘most competitive visa regime for highly skilled international talent is right here in the United Kingdom’.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/29\/08\/78177871-12803949-Downing_Street_failed_to_act_on_repeated_warnings_that_yesterday-a-1_1701248258005.jpg\")
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