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The Herald Scotland

Why the case for a 'Scottish visa' just got stronger

But how long can the current state of affairs continue? Starmer has so far resisted calls from the Scottish Government to introduce a "Scottish visa" to help the country deal with the labour shortages it faces, but the issue is simply not going away. Indeed, it seems to be very much uppermost in the minds of many Scottish business owners. As exclusively revealed by The Herald today, 70% of businesses in Scotland support the introduction a tailored 'Scottish visa', according to the latest Understanding Business Survey, conducted by 56° and Diffley Partnership. Such a scheme which would allow migrants to come to work in Scotland, as long as they live and maintain a tax code in the country, and presumably ease the pressure on the many companies which have struggled with skills shortages since the end of freedom of movement. But this would not be unrestrained immigration. Asked what their most important considerations would be if a Scottish visa were introduced, the top two responses from businesses surveyed both related to protecting Scottish workers, with 37% each saying 'maintaining a balance between migrant workers and upskilling local talent' and 'protecting job opportunities for Scottish workers and preventing wage suppression' were important. Business also wanted to ensure that any visa scheme would be easy to navigate for both employers and workers, selected as a top consideration by 35%. Clearly, immigration remains a hot political topic, and with feelings continuing to run high on the topic Starmer's reluctance to implement any big policy changes is perhaps understandable. Especially given that Labour's stance on Brexit was writ large in its election manifesto last year. But for a Government that has made economic growth its central mission, and has now presided over a second consecutive month of GDP decline, it must surely be looking to all the levers it has at its disposal to stem the tide. A Scottish visa, targeted at sectors and companies suffering the most acute skills shortages, would be a step in the right direction.