Separate arrangements would ‘complicate’ set-up

Introducing separate migration arrangements for Scotland would “significantly complicate” the system, the UK Government has suggested.

Immigration minister Kevin Foster said that introducing a distinct visa for different parts of the UK would “create complexity”.

SNP MP Stephen Flynn (Aberdeen South) had pointed to the use of regional visas in Australia as an approach that could potentially be used for Scotland, with the Scottish Government having previously outlined the need to increase the country’s population.

Mr Foster said: “Immigration is and will remain a reserved matter.

“This government will introduce a points-based immigration system which works in the interests of the whole of the United Kingdom including Scotland.

“Applying different immigration rules to different parts of the UK would significantly complicate the immigration system.”

He added: “We’ve asked the independent Migration Advisory Committee on several occasions to look at the case around applying different immigration arrangements for different areas of the UK. They have consistently recommended against this.”