EU immigration was one of the most controversial issues in the debate on the UK‘s membership of the European Union. Immigrants come to the UK from many countries in the world, indeed more immigrants come from non-EU countries than from EU countries. However, during the referendum there was considerable discussion on how EU immigration to the UK could be reduced or further controlled.
When the Committee developed its inquiry into the EU referendum and its implications for Scotland, it agreed to commission research into EU migration patterns in Scotland and to consider the rights of EU nationals in the UK and UK nationals in the EU as a key theme of its inquiry.
This report brings together those two pieces of work, presenting quantitative and qualitative data on EU migration to Scotland and the contribution of EU migrants to Scotland‘s economy and Scottish society. It also considers the rights of the 181,000 EU citizens resident in Scotland, who represent 3.4% of the population, as well as the rights that UK citizens enjoy as EU citizens whether they live abroad or in Scotland. Finally, it reflects on Scotland‘s future migration needs and the potential for a differentiated immigration policy in Scotland to ensure that Scotland‘s population growth is not reversed by withdrawal from the European Union.
European Parliament
