Scots ‘cooling’ on immigration – but voters still want workers

Support for lower immigration is growing in Scotland – but voters still want workers, students and carers to come in, new polling has found.

Research for Migration Policy Scotland also found continuing support for humanitarian visas amidst “complex and contradictory” views.

Dr Sarah Kyambi, the think tank’s director, said: “In a time of apparently increasing polarisation, it is crucial that we understand the nuances of public attitudes. A general cooling of views does not necessarily equate to outright hostility. A majority of Scots believe that immigration has a positive role to play, filling gaps in the labour market and enriching Scottish cultural life.”

The body’s Attitudes to Immigration Survey found “evidence of positive attitudes” despite an overall “cooling” of favour since 2024.

It uncovered a “growing level of support for immigration reductions overall”, with 45 per cent of those asked in support of cuts. However, there were “significant levels of support” for many routes into Scotland, with 70 per cent of people saying they would prefer numbers of incomers to “increase or remain the same” when it comes to visas for skilled workers, seasonal workers, students, health and social care workers, and those seeking humanitarian assistance.

Half of people (47 per cent) had a positive view of the impacts of immigration. Almost seven in 10 (67 per cent) agreed that “immigration fills jobs for which it’s hard to find workers in Scotland”. And almost eight in 10 (76 per cent) said overseas recruitment should be possible for sectors with critical labour shortages like health and social care.

The think tank said: “The growing support for reductions in overall immigration also does not appear to align with support for the specific measures by which Home Office proposals seek to reduce immigration.

“The majority of Scots continue to support graduate visas with a two-year post study work period (59 per cent) and welcoming programmes (51 per cent).

“Fifty-eight per cent of Scots believe that immigrants who are working and paying tax should be eligible for benefits and social housing within five years. This contrasts starkly with proposals to extend waiting periods for settlement to 10 years (and 20 years in the case of refugees) with the effect of excluding people from social security over a longer period.”

Polling was carried out by the Diffley Partnership via the Scotpulse online panel in February, with almost 2,200 people questioned over all eight Scottish parliamentary regions.

Dr Rebecca Kay, associate director of Migration Policy Scotland, said: “As the temperature of political debate on immigration continues to rise, and attitudes to cool, the policy agenda is inexorably focused on reducing numbers. Yet specific proposals and measures are less clearly aligned with public opinion. We find little support for restrictions and exclusions relating to settlement or entitlements to social security.”