The Highlands and Islands Case for a Rural Visa Pilot – Emma Roddick MSP

Scotland faces unique demographic challenges. Unlike other countries in the UK, we are projected to see population decline by 2030, which cannot be overcome by birth rates alone. Put simply, we need more people to move here to live and work.

This is especially true in the Highlands and Islands. Since Brexit, and due to damaging changes the last Tory government made to immigration rules, it’s become increasingly difficult to recruit workers in key sectors. From hospitality to health and social care, businesses are struggling to fill vacancies. This puts immense pressure on employers, applicants, and the vital services we all rely on.

While the headline figures for Scotland’s demographic challenges are frightening alone, it becomes even more urgent when you consider that these pressures are not emerging evenly across the country. Not only is there movement from rural to urban, but also from west to east, and from other regions into the Central Belt. Whether it’s Cromarty or Dumfries, working-age people moving away along with low birth rates result in an ageing population, with jobs as fundamental as caring, cooking, and cleaning lying vacant and retirees facing the difficult decision to either move away from home or risk going without. Communities simply cannot survive without people to keep them going.

That’s why I’m calling for a Rural Visa Pilot – a proposal put forward by the SNP Government in 2022. This targeted visa route would allow people to come and work in the Highlands and Islands, filling critical roles and contributing to our communities.

Now, more than ever, we must champion the positive impact of migration. At a time when some seek to demonise those who choose to make Scotland their home, let’s be clear: New Scots make invaluable contributions to our economy, our culture, and our society. We must welcome – and actively attract – people, not turn them away.

A Rural Visa Pilot is not just a practical solution to a pressing issue; it’s an investment in our future. It’s about building a sustainable and thriving Highlands and Islands, welcoming those who want to contribute and ensuring our communities have the workforce they desperately need. It’s a win-win-win.

Sadly, Scotland does not currently have the powers to introduce a visa. But for many years, SNP Ministers have been making the case for a tailored approach and begging UK Governments to allow a pilot to take place here in Scotland.

Knowing how necessary a different model is here, and how strong the case is, I will continue to hope that UK Ministers listen and let us get on with the work. In the meantime, this is yet another screaming example of how the union is holding Scotland back.