Post-brexit immigration plans ‘could halve migrant workers’
● Fears over plan to cut minimum salary ● Warning it would be irresponsible
Remote and rural areas of Scotland could still face a shortage of workers after Brexit despite the UK government’s plans to reduce the minimum salary requirement for migrant workers, an independent report has warned.
The Scottish Government’s migration minister, Ben Macpherson, warned the plans would be “deeply irresponsible and costly”, while care providers warned the plans would risk “shutting the door” to care workers from the EU.
In February, the UK government announced changes to their plans for working visas for EU migrants post Brexit, lowering the salary threshold for a Tier 2 visa from £30,000 to £25,600.
It also announced the introduction of a minimum level of English proficiency, lower thresholds for those with Phds, and exceptions to the salary threshold if a job is deemed a “shortage occupation”.
Analysis by the Scottish Government’s independent expert advisory group on migration and population (EAG), chaired by Professor Christina Boswell of the University of Edinburgh, concludes “very few jobs in agriculture, caring, office and customer-related occupations would be eligible”.
As part of their analysis into the impact of the immigration policy, the EAG found 52.5 per cent of roles in Scotland pay less than £25,600, including up to 90 per cent of jobs in the care sector.
Scotland’s gender pay gap also means that 63.3 per cent of jobs currently employing females would not be available to migrants.
Prof Boswell said there may be a “moderate expansion of immigration” from outside the EU due to the reduced salary threshold but remote and rural areas of Scotland “will still be more adversely affected after Brexit, because of the lower number of jobs available meeting the threshold”.
She added: “This risks exacerbating problems of population decline in remote and rural areas of Scotland, which are the areas most in need of in-migration.”
Macpherson said the immigration policy is “failing to address Scotland’s distinct demographic and economic needs”.
He said: “Sectors with key workers who we have all relied upon to support us through the pandemic will be hit particularly hard. Ploughing on regardless would be deeply irresponsible and costly. It is time the UK government fully consulted the devolved administrations and industry bodies, and tailored their approach to develop a system which recognises and meets the distinct needs of all four nations.”
Dr Donald Macaskill, chief executive of Scottish Care, argued “a significant number” of care workers who have been on the coronavirus frontline are from the European Economic Area and earn less than the salary threshold.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “We are ending free movement and delivering a new points-based system that is firmer, fairer and will benefit the whole of the UK.”