Talent Attraction and Migration information: FOI release

Information requested

1. What is the SNP Government’s plan to attract professionals to live and work in Scotland?

2. What percentage of working age adults moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK are ‘professionals’?

3. What is the SNP Government’s plan to encourage future generations to aspire to success and higher salaries?

4. How does the SNP Government see an independent Scotland achieving a G20 level economy with decreasing levels of professionals and associated higher salaries?

Response

What is the SNP Government’s plan to attract professionals to live and work in Scotland?

In 2021, the Scottish Government published Scotland’s first population strategy, setting out a broad programme of work to address our demographic challenges and harness opportunities. The strategy is framed around four pillars, one of which is to ensure that Scotland is an attractive and welcoming country. You can find more details here.

In 2022, the Scottish Government also published its National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) outlining how we will make Scotland more prosperous, productive and internationally competitive. You can find more details here.

An example of the work we are developing to achieve this objective is the Talent Attraction and Migration Service project. The service is currently in development and will support employers to use the immigration system effectively and efficiently to help meet their skills needs. The service will also enable people to access good quality information and advice to help them move to Scotland and settle into their communities, and will help attract and retain workers and their families. We are aiming to launch the service later in 2024.

In addition to this we are working closely with industry partners to identify where there are skills gaps and shortages, and to support industry to attract skilled workers to Scotland to help meet those gaps. An Industry Advisory Group for rUK Talent Attraction has been supporting this work, which you can find more details on here. We are also working with the higher and further education sectors to encourage graduates to remain in Scotland post-qualifying, through promoting Scotland as a place to live and work, as well as study.

What percentage of working age adults moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK are ‘professionals’?

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for. Intra-UK migration statistics are published by the National Records for Scotland and are available by age and sex. These statistics are available here. No information is currently available on the numbers of those migrating to Scotland from the rest of the UK who are classed as ‘professionals’.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

What is the SNP Government’s plan to encourage future generations to aspire to success and higher salaries?

The National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET), published in 2022, sets out a clear aim for a Skilled Workforce: To ensure that people have the skills they need at every stage of life to have rewarding careers and meet the demands of an ever-changing economy, and that employers invest in the skilled employees they need to grow their businesses.

The skills programme contained in NSET focuses particularly on the transition to net zero, the digital revolution, and lifelong training to make sure employers have the supply of skills they need. You can read more about the actions we are taking to ensure a skilled workforce here.

The benefits of post-school education are demonstrated in the Economic and Skills Impact Framework (ESIF) report that was published in December 2022. The findings point to clear economic benefits from post-16 education qualifications, measured by increased earnings, increased employment and reduced benefit dependency, compared with those who start but do not complete the same qualifications. Reports covering three key sectors can be accessed at these links:

• Modern Apprenticeships: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805252498
• University: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805252504
• College: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805252511

How does the SNP Government see an independent Scotland achieving a G20 level economy with decreasing levels of professionals and associated higher salaries?

Scotland has many economic strengths, with skilled people, dynamic businesses, and the natural resources to be just as successful as comparable independent European countries. The Scottish Government is currently setting out its prospectus for an independent Scotland through the Building a New Scotland series of papers. Papers published to date include:

• Independence in the Modern World which compares the UK’s performance to that of a group of independent European nations across a range of economic and social indicators. It shows that these countries are wealthier, happier, fairer and more equal than the UK.
• A Stronger Economy with Independence  which sets out a macroeconomic framework for an independent Scotland along with proposals for trade, borders and a Building a New Scotland Fund to help drive inclusive economic growth and accelerate the transition to a net zero economy. The paper also discusses a range of policies – including energy, the labour market and migration – that could only be implemented with the full powers of independence.
• Migration to Scotland after Independence which explains how Scotland's economy would benefit from moving away from the UK's restrictive approach to migration under Brexit towards EU membership, free movement of people and a sensible open and welcoming migration system.
• An Independent Scotland in the EU which sets out the benefits of EU membership including the ability to access the world’s largest single market with no barriers to trade.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.