The Scottish Government published its newest paper regarding plans for Scottish independence on 3 October 2023.
The paper is the sixth in a series of reports called Building a New Scotland and concerns migration and asylum plans.
The SNP began publishing these papers on various topics in June 2022, outlining the government’s strategy on topics from creating a constitution to building the economy post-independence.
The latest paper comes in the wake of ongoing criticism by the Scottish government of Westminster’s stance on migration.
Earlier this year, a UK initiative to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was deemed unlawful by the Court of Appeal amidst concern from the UNHCR.
The new Scottish Government paper on migration and asylum outlines an approach to a “humane, dignified and principled migration system,” rejecting “Westminster’s ‘hostile environment.’”
The paper introduces new and less restrictive visa pathways.
A proposed “Live in Scotland” visa route would allow people to live and work in Scotland with their families without employer sponsorship. This would eliminate the main barrier of the current Skilled Worker visa.
The proposed “Scottish connections” visa would provide a pathway for individuals with a “connection” to Scotland to establish residence. “Connections” include ancestral links and graduates of Scottish universities.
For international graduates, the ‘Scottish connections’ visa would replace the current two-year graduate visa, offering a more direct five-year pathway towards permanent residency.
Work visas and family visas would see reduced restrictions on income requirements and application fees, making it easier to receive a successful application.
For refugee and asylum policy, the paper amends UK policy with “emphasis on integration and support.”
Asylum seekers would be granted the right to work and have access to public benefits. Under the current system, these rights are inaccessible until an individual is formally granted refugee status, which can take from six months to a year.
Free movement within the Common Travel Area would be reinstated, which would resume upon Scotland’s rejoining the European Union. Scottish citizens would in turn be granted the right to live and work within the EU.
The report also highlights Scotland’s need for migrants due to population decline.
In 2022, Scotland saw nearly 16,000 more deaths than births, making it the largest natural annual decrease on record.
It was also the eighth year running where deaths exceed births, making migration “the sole driver of population growth” in Scotland.
“Scottish Parliament, from Salisbury Crags” by Lee Kindness is licensed under CC BY 2.5.