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Scotland’s deputy first minister, Kate Forbes, has expressed grave concerns over the potential impact of the UK government’s plans to tighten immigration rules on the country’s care system. She emphasized the need for Scotland to adopt a distinct approach from the rest of the UK. Care home bosses have also raised alarms, suggesting that these immigration policies could lead to closures and longer NHS waiting lists. In response, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defended these proposals, stating that they are aimed at “taking back control” of UK borders.
Under the new strategy, the Labour government is looking to reduce the recruitment of care workers from overseas and impose stricter English language requirements on immigrants. Forbes criticized these plans, stating that she was astonished by the UK government’s decision to limit overseas recruitment of care workers. She highlighted the vital role that immigrant workers play in the care industry and expressed concerns about the potential negative impact on Scotland’s care system due to these changes.
Robert Kilgour, chairman of Scottish care home group Renaissance Care, warned that restricting overseas visas could have devastating consequences for the industry. He noted that a significant portion of their workforce comes from overseas and that limiting recruitment could lead to more care home closures, increased bed-blocking, and longer waiting lists for NHS operations. Campbell Mair, managing director of Highland Home Carers, also highlighted the challenges of recruiting and retaining UK workers in the care sector and called on both the UK and Scottish governments to invest more in the industry.
Sir Keir announced these immigration plans as a means to bring down net migration, citing a significant increase in migration levels under the previous Conservative administration. He emphasized the need for stricter measures to ensure controlled migration and outlined key aspects of the White Paper proposals. While emphasizing the importance of fair rules, Sir Keir defended the need for a structured immigration system to prevent societal fragmentation. However, these proposals have faced criticism from John Swinney, who accused the prime minister of using divisive language and potentially damaging the economy, NHS, social care, and universities.
Despite immigration being under the purview of the UK government, the SNP has consistently advocated for a bespoke Scottish scheme to address the country’s unique demographic challenges. SNP MP Stephen Gethins has proposed a bill in the House of Commons seeking an amendment to the Scotland Act 1998 to enable Holyrood ministers to establish a Scottish visa system. However, the likelihood of Labour supporting these proposals remains uncertain, despite a previous Scottish visa scheme introduced by Tony Blair’s government in 2005 under the Fresh Talent Scheme
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