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Immigration policy and constitutional change: the perspectives on Scottish employer and industry representatives

Immigration policy and constitutional change: the perspectives on Scottish employer and industry representatives
Immigration policy and constitutional change: the perspectives on Scottish employer and industry representatives
Attracting and retaining migrants has been positioned as a key driver of population and economic growth in Scotland (Scottish Government, 2011). The Scottish Government has consistently stated that current UK immigration policies do not meet the needs of Scotland (2013a, 2013b). In the event of independence, the Scottish Government would seek to implement immigration policies that it feels would better serve Scotland’s interests. Given that Scotland seeks to use immigration to meet population and economic growth objectives, it therefore seems pertinent to examine employers’ perspectives on migration policies in the context of possible constitutional change. The analysis draws on primary data gathered from an online survey of Scottish employers, which is supplemented by 20 in-depth interviews with employers and other industry representatives in key economic sectors in Scotland.
A case is made that immigration is a highly important issue for Scottish employers, who argue that current UK immigration policies do not adequately meet their business needs. Employers view EU migration as of great benefit to their companies, but the restrictions on non-EU migration have caused concern for many of them, and in some instances have been blamed for restricting growth. Employers claim that UK immigration policy is disproportionately focused on the needs and interests of London and South-East England and view the current constitutional change debate as an opportunity to rectify this perceived imbalance. Their views are discussed with particular reference to how immigration legislation affecting Scotland could be improved in the future, regardless of the 2014 referendum result.
2042-4116
44
ESRC Centre for Population Change
Tindal, Scott
c72b92e3-7bdf-4dac-9585-6b9455bab913
McCollum, David
c3c30d9b-f56f-440e-9b72-d6c088adea36
Bell, David
9088ea14-4b48-4fed-abc6-bcc4eadb4c0e
Dey, Becki
3bd50f27-c3e5-4c8c-b234-1d00c24a8e66
McGowan, Teresa
4524e894-04de-4822-8508-f4b966e12ae2
Tindal, Scott
c72b92e3-7bdf-4dac-9585-6b9455bab913
McCollum, David
c3c30d9b-f56f-440e-9b72-d6c088adea36
Bell, David
9088ea14-4b48-4fed-abc6-bcc4eadb4c0e
Dey, Becki
3bd50f27-c3e5-4c8c-b234-1d00c24a8e66
McGowan, Teresa
4524e894-04de-4822-8508-f4b966e12ae2

Tindal, Scott, McCollum, David and Bell, David , Dey, Becki and McGowan, Teresa (eds.) (2014) Immigration policy and constitutional change: the perspectives on Scottish employer and industry representatives (ESRC Centre for Population Change Working Paper Series, 44) Southampton, GB. ESRC Centre for Population Change 60pp.

Record type: Monograph (Working Paper)

Abstract

Attracting and retaining migrants has been positioned as a key driver of population and economic growth in Scotland (Scottish Government, 2011). The Scottish Government has consistently stated that current UK immigration policies do not meet the needs of Scotland (2013a, 2013b). In the event of independence, the Scottish Government would seek to implement immigration policies that it feels would better serve Scotland’s interests. Given that Scotland seeks to use immigration to meet population and economic growth objectives, it therefore seems pertinent to examine employers’ perspectives on migration policies in the context of possible constitutional change. The analysis draws on primary data gathered from an online survey of Scottish employers, which is supplemented by 20 in-depth interviews with employers and other industry representatives in key economic sectors in Scotland.
A case is made that immigration is a highly important issue for Scottish employers, who argue that current UK immigration policies do not adequately meet their business needs. Employers view EU migration as of great benefit to their companies, but the restrictions on non-EU migration have caused concern for many of them, and in some instances have been blamed for restricting growth. Employers claim that UK immigration policy is disproportionately focused on the needs and interests of London and South-East England and view the current constitutional change debate as an opportunity to rectify this perceived imbalance. Their views are discussed with particular reference to how immigration legislation affecting Scotland could be improved in the future, regardless of the 2014 referendum result.

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2014_WP44_Immigration_Policy_and_Consitutional_Change_Tindal_et_al.pdf - Other
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More information

Published date: 14 February 2014
Organisations: Social Statistics & Demography, Centre for Population Change

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 362122
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/362122
ISSN: 2042-4116
PURE UUID: c4290c5a-7f92-41e8-ad12-3c4f1a9848a4
ORCID for Teresa McGowan: ORCID iD orcid.org/0009-0002-9231-3743

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 17 Feb 2014 16:35
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:23

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Contributors

Author: Scott Tindal
Author: David McCollum
Author: David Bell
Editor: Becki Dey
Editor: Teresa McGowan ORCID iD

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