Immigration policy and constitutional change: The perspectives on Scottish employers and industry representatives.

Reports & Briefings
Coree Brown Swan
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.