THE UK Government’s immigration stance poses a “critical economic threat” to Scotland, First Minister John Swinney has said.
The Prime Minister released a new White Paper on immigration earlier this month, laying out plans to extend the time people will have to stay in the UK before applying for settled status, along with the end of visas for overseas care workers and reducing the time graduates are allowed to stay after leaving university.
Speaking at a conference on Thursday, the First Minister again voiced his opposition to the plans, warning of the impact on Scotland’s ageing population of a reduction in immigration.
“I am profoundly concerned by the direction of travel that is being taken on migration,” he said.
“I made this point to the Prime Minister when I met him on Friday – that the changing dynamics of our labour market and the need for us to encourage migration to support our working age population has to be recognised in the approach that is taken to migration in the United Kingdom.”
The First Minster convened business leaders last week in the wake of the announcement, and told the conference the care sector said 26% of their workforce was from abroad.
“If those individuals are not able to make a contribution to our social care system, then I don’t know how we will deliver a social care system in Scotland,” he added.
“I can see a significant economic threat to our prosperity if we do not have a more mature approach to immigration. This is a deadly serious issue for all of us.”
The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
