Scotland needs its own immigration visas to address “critical” gaps in the workforce, a minister has said.
Tom Arthur has published proposals for a visa system that includes a Scottish Visa, Rural Visa and Scottish Graduate Visa to make the current immigration system “more responsive to the needs of different sectors”.
Calls for a Scotland-specific approach
The Business Minister said Scotland faces a demographic time bomb caused by an ageing population, with immigration needed to fill workforce gaps.
The Scottish Government has highlighted the UK Government’s closure of the Adult Social Care visa route as an example of a policy that could increase the risk of workforce shortages and place additional pressure on services, particularly in rural and island communities.
The newly published Scottish Government policy paper highlights the economic and social challenges the country may face if the UK Government does not take action.
Visa issues have arisen after the end of Freedom of Movement following Brexit (Image: PA)
What Tom Arthur said
Mr Arthur said: “Mirroring a trend seen in many countries around the world, Scotland has an ageing population and areas where the population is declining.
“This makes immigration ever more critical in ensuring we have working-age people to fill skills gaps, sustain public services, support communities and grow the economy.
“A migration system designed around UK-wide averages, which is what we have now, cannot adequately respond to Scotland’s demographic and geographic circumstances.”
He added: “In the spirit of the Prime Minister’s public commitment to reset relationships with devolved governments, I have invited the UK Migration Minister to engage with me in constructive discussions to ensure the immigration system is tailored to Scotland’s needs.”
Background in Scotland
While migration remains a reserved policy area, the Scottish Government has taken forward several initiatives, including the development of Scotland’s Migration Service and the delivery of the Addressing Depopulation Action Plan, funding for which was increased by almost 50 per cent this year.