Building a New Scotland: migration to Scotland after independence

Acronyms and definitions

COP

Conference of the Parties

Annual conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

also, COP26, the 26th conference held in Glasgow in November 2021.

COVID

Coronavirus disease

also, COVID-19, the current pandemic disease first identified in 2019.

EEA

European Economic Area

An agreement to extend the European Union's single market to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

EU

European Union

GDP

Gross Domestic Product

GVA

Gross Value Added

HERD

Higher education research and development

MAC

Migration Advisory Committee

An independent non-department public body under the Home Office, providing advice to UK ministers on immigration policy.

NHS

National Health Service

NRS

National Records of Scotland

OECD

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

An intergovernmental organisation with a trade and economic focus, formed of mostly high-income countries.

OISC

Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner

ONS

Office for National Statistics

PNP

Provincial Nominee Programme (Canada)

SARRA

Scottish Asylum and Refugee Resettlement Agency

Proposed public body to manage asylum application processing, refugee resettlement and integration after independence.

SAWS

Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme

SIMBA

Scottish Immigration and Border Agency

Proposed public body to manage visa applications, border control and immigration enforcement after independence.

SPCSO

Scottish Passport and Citizenship Services Office

Proposed public body to manage passport and citizenship registration and naturalisation applications after independence.

SSRM

State-Specific Regional Migration programme (Australia)

UK

United Kingdom

UKVI

UK Visas and Immigration

Part of the Home Office, responsible for receiving and assessing visa, settlement and citizenship applications.

UN

United Nations

USA

United States of America