Scotland faces losing its competitive advantage over other English-speaking countries such as the USA and Canada in securing migrant labour, a Brexit study warns.
The report by Edinburgh and Glasgow universities warned that a more restrictive system for EU nationals working here could damage Scotland’s economy.
“A more complicated post-Brexit immigration regime will deprive the UK/Scotland of some of its main advantages over other possible migrant destination countries, both within the EEA and beyond, at least amongst some groups of potential EEA migrants,” the report said.
Mairi Gougeon, the SNP MSP for Angus, said the report shows “how dangerous Tory Brexit plans will be for Scotland’s economy”.
“This is why it is time for powers over migration to be devolved,” she added.
Academics interviewed EU nationals living in Angus and Aberdeenshire, as well as Scotland’s two biggest cities, as part of their analysis of immigration.
It found that the welfare system was not a factor in decisions to move to the UK, despite David Cameron putting welfare restrictions at the heart of his pro-Remain strategy in 2016.
The study said: “In keeping with other studies we found no evidence that welfare rights were a driver behind initial decisions to move to the UK/Scotland.”
Ahead of the 2016 referendum, Mr Cameron sought to gather support for Remain among immigration sceptics by securing in-work benefits restrictions for EU nationals in his renegotiation with Brussels.
The report suggests that was flawed because welfare is not a driver for people moving here.
The UK Government is to publish a white paper on its post-Brexit approach to immigration, which is likely to be delayed until after the Migration Advisory Committee reports on the country’s labour needs.
