Growth Commission gets to the heart of what Scotland could change with control over immigration

LAST weekend, the SNP embarked on a process of wide-ranging debate about the report of the Sustainable Growth Commission.

One of the most important features of the report is its recommendations on population and migration. In short, the commission argues that attracting new people must be a key priority of the Scottish Government’s population and economic policy.

Scotland needs inward migration to sustain population growth, and in turn economic growth to boost our public finances.

The SNP have long highlighted the positive impact of migration on our economy, and our society.

But as well as reinforcing the case for migration, where the commission moves the discussion forward is on what detailed policy proposals we should pursue in order to attract the people we need.

As well as supporting the case for restoring post-study work visas for international graduates, ideas are floated for attracting investors, entrepreneurs and the highly skilled.

As the commission points out, the financial thresholds for such visas for non-EU nationals are ludicrously high – £2 million for investors and £50,000 for entrepreneurs (and even if you meet that threshold, there is a significant refusal rate). Should we be turning away people willing to invest £100,000 or establish a business with £20,000? The commission suggests consulting on where the limits should be drawn.

More broadly, it argues for a simplified and less expensive visa system, and support with some relocation costs to help attract highly skilled individuals. I would argue that similar changes must be made to the financial thresholds for skilled workers, while the bureaucracy required for employers to become “Tier 2 sponsors” (to recruit from beyond the EU) is utterly beyond most small and medium sized businesses – the backbone of the Scottish economy – and needs radical reform.

We should also look to reform the “exceptional talent” visas – restrictively pitched by the UK Government as accepting only people who are recognised by a very limited list of institutions as “leaders in their field”. Theresa May’s brutal policies on family members – that have seen many Scottish and UK citizens split apart from spouses, children and other family abroad – also need scrapped as a priority.

Simply having decisions made in Scotland will ensure an immigration system infinitely more responsive to Scotland’s needs – the deaf ear the UK Government has turned to those calling for a seasonal agriculture workers programme and a visa for offshore fishing illustrates this.

But of course the most immediate and biggest battle is to retain free movement for EU nationals who want to come and work here and for our own people who want to work across the EU. Free movement has been a huge gain for Scotland and our people. There is no reason why it needs to end, even if the UK does regrettably leave the EU; and even if the UK Government wants it to end in other parts of the UK.

Ending free movement will be a hammer blow to employers in many sectors of our economy and nothing could illustrate more starkly that UK migration policy is operating absolutely against Scotland’s interests, rather than for them.

As the commission also points out, tone and message is almost every bit as important as detailed policy. So it’s crucial we continue to build support for migration. Scotland needs new people!