John Swinney: Figures revealed by Holyrood prove immigration must be devolved

Deputy First Minister John Swinney has renewed calls for immigration control to be devolved for Scotland after it emerged there has been a dramatic fall in teachers coming to Scotland from the EU.

The GTCS figures, exclusively revealed by Holyrood yesterday, show that only 14 EU teachers from six nations have applied for registration so far in 2018, a dramatic drop from previous years.

In an exclusive interview with Holyrood for our Annual Review, GTCS chief Ken Muir blamed the slump on Brexit and UK immigration policies.

Swinney said: “These figures show the stark reality of Brexit. Already highly-skilled and hard-working EU citizens are thinking twice about choosing to live and teach in Scotland which will not only have a negative impact on the education workforce but our economy and society as a whole.

“Last year we had citizens from almost every EU member country applying for GTCS registration but, so far this year, citizens from just six countries have applied to live and work in Scotland. And the head of the GTCS - the independent body that registers teachers - has today made plain that Brexit is driving this slump.

“Once again this underlines the clear case for the Scottish Government, accountable to the Scottish Parliament, to set the rules for a migration system tailored to meet the country’s needs.

“It is vital we continue to attract the very best candidates to work within the Scottish education system regardless of their nationality, our young people deserve no less.”

Ross Greer MSP, the Scottish Greens’ education spokesperson, called for more investment in teachers in the wake of the figures.

“Through no fault of our own, a clear message about Scotland is being sent to EU nationals and those from further afield, a message that we are closed to migrants, including those who wish to come here to teach. This is yet another way in which Brexit, which Scotland overwhelmingly rejected, is already damaging our society,” he said.

He agreed immigration powers should be devolved, and added: “Green polling shows that seven out of ten Scots would prefer investment in teaching staff to governance reforms. It’s clear that teachers are overworked and under-resourced.”

Autumn teacher strikes are looking increasingly likely as both the EIS and SSTA unions call for a 10 per cent pay rise.