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Executive Summary
Context
1. Long-term estimates for Scotland's population show a decline to less than 5 million by 2036. First Minister Jack McConnell identified this as 'the single biggest challenge facing Scotland as we move further into the 21 st century' (Scottish Executive, 2004). The Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise commissioned TNS System Three Social to research the experiences of those who relocate to Scotland in order to inform future Fresh Talent policy developments.
Aims
2. The aims of this research were to:
- Understand why people choose to relocate to Scotland - including returning Scots, people from the rest of the UK and people from outwith the UK
- Explore the factors that have helped people to relocate to Scotland, in particular support with accessing employment opportunities and settling into Scottish life, including understanding the positive experiences and/or barriers encountered
- Consider the inter relations between the influence of education/work experiences, the importance of living in a particular place, and personal circumstances such as birth connections, family links, and family influence
Methods
3. Qualitative depth interviews were conducted with 55 in-migrants to Scotland and 10 organisations that had contact with in-migrants. Alongside this a literature review on managed migration was conducted to provide a contextual backdrop, and 4 focus groups with in-migrants were used to test emerging findings.
Findings
4. The decision to relocate, and the choice of Scotland as a location, was often for economic reasons such as employment and study, over lifestyle factors.
5. The relocation decisions and motivations of the in-migrants interviewed were used to develop a typology framework for the study. The 4 typologies and the motivations that epitomise them were:
- Pragmatists - economic opportunities
- World Citizens - experience of another country and economic opportunities
- Lifestage Returners - family connections
- Lifestyle Pursuers - changes in lifestyle
The Fresh Talent Initiative focuses on three economic status groups: entrepreneurs, employees and post graduates. Within these groups there were significant differences in motivations for relocating; in-migrants were better defined by the above typologies.
6. Sources and depth of knowledge of life in Scotland pre-relocation varied drastically amongst in-migrants, with some having visited and researched the country extensively, others returning home, and others having never visited the UK. All in-migrants interviewed from the rest of the UK had visited Scotland before. For those coming from overseas, particularly outside the EU, the main source of knowledge was by word of mouth.
7. On the whole, people had positive experiences of relocating to Scotland. Given the weight that word of mouth carries in other in-migrants' decisions to relocate this is of great importance. Few in-migrants sought the advice and support of public bodies in relocating; those that did were generally satisfied with the support provided. Positive experiences with work, studies or business were crucial in making the move a success. Pragmatists and World Citizens were most likely to have had positive experiences in this area. Improved lifestyle was a major factor in attracting and encouraging people to stay in Scotland; but was not a strong enough factor on its own to retain people.
8. There were some barriers and frustrations to settling into life in Scotland. This varied by situation and can be broadly attributed to typologies. Pragmatists and World Citizens tended to face fewer, less serious barriers. The group that faced the most significant barriers were the Lifestyle Pursuers who often had unmet expectations of their new lifestyle. Difficulty finding suitable employment, whilst not being the most common barrier, was one of the most salient. Some post graduates expressed problems finding suitable employment, and for a few on the Fresh Talent Working in Scotland Scheme this was frustrating as they had had to take jobs unaligned to their career path.
9. Despite overall high levels of satisfaction with relocating to Scotland, most in-migrants were not fully committed to staying on a permanent basis and had a flexible approach to where they would live in the future. Many younger Pragmatists saw their experiences of life in Scotland as helping them towards becoming World Citizens.
10. There was low awareness of the Fresh Talent Initiative amongst in-migrants and the organisations involved with them. In-migrants also said they were unaware of who Scotland wanted to attract, and the roles of the different public bodies in managing migration. This generated important questions for developing Fresh Talent policy:
- Is it important to encourage people to relocate permanently, or are there merits in attracting people who wish to stay for shorter time periods?
- Who does Scotland want to attract, and who should be targeted?
- How can the public, private and academic sectors work together to further develop managed migration?
11. The report also offers practical recommendations for encouraging in-migration and making relocation easier including encouraging the public and private sectors to work closer together; increasing Scottish employers' awareness of the Fresh Talent Working in Scotland Scheme; and making it easier to open bank accounts for overseas in-migrants.
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