Scottish Labour warns immigration reforms could deepen care crisis

Shiva K Dhakal
National Press Corporation(NPC)
United Kingdom—Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said Scotland “cannot rely on migrants” to fill gaps in the country’s social care workforce, warning that the UK’s immigration system must be reformed and that better pay is essential to attract domestic workers.

His comments follow a stark warning from Scottish Care, which represents independent care providers, that the UK government’s proposed immigration changes would have a “profoundly negative impact” on Scotland’s already strained care sector.

Speaking after Scottish Labour’s policy conference in Edinburgh, Sarwar said he was determined to deliver “big, bold and meaningful change” if his party wins next May’s Holyrood election. The conference also saw announcements on a new specialist mental health service and expanded support for community policing.

The remarks come at the end of a week in which Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out major reforms to the UK’s post-Brexit immigration system. Under the proposals, workers arriving on health and social care visas would need to wait 15 years before being eligible for settlement—three times longer than the current requirement.

Scottish Care chief executive Donald Macaskill said he was “deeply concerned”, warning that the sector already faces acute workforce shortages. He said increasing the settlement period to up to 15 years, and introducing stricter criteria for long-term residency, would deter international workers who play a “vital role” in Scotland’s care system.

The organisation urged Scottish Labour to challenge the proposals, describing them as “insensitive to Scotland’s distinct needs”.

Sarwar told BBC Scotland News he accepted that social care was in crisis, but insisted the long-term solution lay in creating clear career pathways in Scotland rather than depending on migrant labour.

“The way we address that crisis is by properly funding social care and recognising the vital role it plays in our integrated health and social care system,” he said. “But it also means giving value to social care workers. I do not think it is appropriate to pay poverty wages and then rely on immigrants to fill those jobs.”

He said Scotland must ensure that people trained domestically—nurses, doctors, teachers and other skilled workers—are able to stay and work in the country rather than seeking opportunities abroad.

Sarwar said he supported the UK government’s aim of introducing a more “managed migration system”, adding that Scotland should remain “open, welcoming and tolerant”, but needed a workforce strategy that did not depend on migrant recruitment.