Scottish Parliament – Jan. 9, 2025 – 2

S6M-16034.3: As an amendment to motion S6M-16034 in the name of Kaukab Stewart (Building a Migration System that Supports Scotland’s Economy, Public Services and Communities), leave out from "the establishment" to end and insert "that there have previously been successful models of differentiated migration schemes, tailored to Scotland’s specific needs, such as Fresh Talent;

recognises the impact of rural depopulation on Scotland’s communities and their sustainability, including the survival of the Gaelic language;

calls on the Scottish Government to use its existing powers to encourage population retention and internal migration where it would benefit Scotland’s communities and economy;

understands that the conditions in Scotland’s rural and island communities are challenging due to the centralisation of services and the degradation of infrastructure, and that migration alone will not fix these systemic problems, and calls on the Scottish Government to build homes, provide high quality public services, provide local education and ensure sustainable transport links in rural and island communities in order to ensure that populations are sustainable in the long term."

Original motion(S6M-16034): That the Parliament recognises the social, economic and cultural contribution made to Scotland by those who have chosen to live here;

notes the establishment of Scotland’s Migration Service at a cost of up to £1.5 million in the draft Budget 2025-26 to help employers, investors and individuals navigate the UK immigration system;

further notes that the Parliament has previously endorsed a motion calling for the development of a differentiated, more flexible migration policy tailored to meet Scotland’s specific needs, and calls on the UK Government to accept the Rural Visa Pilot proposal and to work directly and constructively with the Scottish Government to ensure that the needs of Scotland’s employers, communities and public services are fully reflected within the immigration system.