Scotland's Social Care Crisis: A Call for Change Beyond Migration

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has emphasized that Scotland cannot depend on migrants to solve its social care job shortages. His remarks followed a statement from a social care entity indicating that the UK government’s migration policy changes would severely impact the care sector, which is already grappling with workforce issues. Sarwar criticized the UK’s ’broken immigration system’ and highlighted the urgent need for better wages to encourage Scottish workers to fill these roles instead of relying on international labor.

During a policy conference in Edinburgh, Sarwar announced intentions to implement a new specialist mental health service and enhance community policing initiatives, advocating for ’big, bold and meaningful change’ ahead of the upcoming Holyrood election in May. The context of his statements includes recent announcements by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, proposing that health and social care visa holders would have to wait 15 years for permanent settlement instead of the usual five.

Scottish Care, which advocates for independent care services, expressed concerns that these changes would dissuade essential international workers from entering Scotland. Sarwar acknowledged a crisis in social care but argued for the creation of clear career pathways and sufficient funding for the sector, rejecting the idea of depending on immigrants to fill positions while neglecting to adequately pay and train local citizens.

In light of the proposed immigration changes, which would force many migrants to wait significantly longer for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), Sarwar reinforced the necessity for a managed migration system that balances skills and immigration while committing to retaining talent within Scotland. Alongside his critiques, he proposed the creation of an Emergency Mental Health Response Service aimed at assisting those in crises and relieving frontline police officers, alongside pledging 9,000 new apprenticeships if elected.

The Scottish Government has criticized the UK’s restrictive migration policies, asserting that they detrimentally affect Scotland’s health and social care sectors, calling for a system tailored to their specific needs. Officials are aiming to mitigate the proposed harmful migration approach while pushing for eventual independence to gain full control over migration policies.