The SNP has challenged the UK Labour government to scrap Tory visa rules which are damaging Scotland’s health and social care sectors.
Westminster visa rules ban most international students and health and social care workers bringing family to the UK and new figures have revealed that these immigration policies, which were introduced by the Tories and maintained by the Labour party, have resulted in the number of health and social care visas being issued reducing by over a third in the past 12 months.
This has coincided with a huge drop in the number of health and social case visa applications received and the number of foreign students applying to study in the UK also dropping.
NHS Scotland and social care providers rely on workers from outside of the UK to maintain their services – yet actions taken in Westminster are making it increasingly difficult to fill an increasing number of vacancies.
Commenting, SNP MSP Clare Haughey said:
“Westminster immigration policies are damaging both Scotland’s economy and our ability to deliver vital public services – the Labour UK government must scrap these Tory implemented visa rules.
“This drop in the number of visas being issued to health and social care workers is extremely concerning – without an immediate reversal of this policy pressure will only increase on NHS Scotland, making the task of reducing waiting lists increasingly difficult.
“The SNP is calling on the Labour party to reject the Tories obsession with arbitrary immigration targets and put our public services first – the UK government must scrap these damaging policies or devolve the powers to Scotland so we can build an immigration system that works for us.”
