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Chapter Three Knowledge and expectations pre-relocation
Introduction
3.1 From the in-migrants interviewed in this study, it was apparent that the depth, source and extent of their knowledge of Scotland varied drastically. This chapter looks at the perceptions and knowledge that were behind the decisions to relocate. It begins by considering the sources and extent of knowledge of in-migrants pre-relocation. It then looks at actual perceptions of Scotland pre-relocation. The focus is then turned to in-migrants' awareness of the Scottish Executive's Fresh Talent Initiative.
Sources and extent of knowledge of Scotland
3.2 The extent to which individuals had previously visited or had any contact with Scotland varied considerably. On the one hand, some in-migrants had never visited Scotland or the UK, whereas others had worked or lived in the country for a period of time, and others still were returning to their place of birth. As shown in the following sections, respondents' knowledge was often linked to their motivations for coming - on the whole overseas Pragmatists and World Citizens (who had not lived in Scotland before) tended to have less knowledge of Scotland than Lifestyle Pursuers, and obviously Lifestage Returners.
3.3 Whilst all in-migrants interviewed coming from the UK had previously visited Scotland and experienced it firsthand, for many overseas in-migrants a key source of their knowledge was secondary and informal through word of mouth; these two groups are considered individually below. Generally, post graduate students from overseas had very little prior knowledge of, and contact with Scotland, compared to the knowledge of employees and entrepreneurs; they are also considered separately.
In-migrants from the UK
Regular holidays
3.4 A number had spent many holidays in Scotland. For these in-migrants, their relocation was largely based on the perceptions of the country from their visits; evidently holidaying in Scotland had made a positive impression on them. This group of in-migrants mainly fell into the Lifestyle Pursuers typology. A number of examples were given from people who had holidayed in Scotland's cities and from others who had enjoyed its rural areas. Many Lifestyle Pursuers coming from the UK who had extensively visited Scotland on holiday felt that they knew the particular area they had visited very well; however, when they made the move, the reality was different:
"I always used the phrase…I am moving from home to home really. I think I conned myself because I didn't know it all that well." (An employee from England)
This may occur because visiting a place on holiday does not offer the same experience that relocating and settling in do. Common problems faced post-relocation by these in-migrants was a perceived lack of employment or business opportunities, and difficulties adjusting to the new lifestyle (these are explored further in Chapter 4).
Visiting friends
Many in-migrants from other parts of the UK, had never lived permanently in Scotland, but had friends in Scotland, and this connection attracted them to relocate. For example, an employee who relocated to Glasgow from London used to visit friends in the city once a month. He really enjoyed his time there and so decided to look for a job and relocate. Although he was a Lifestyle Pursuer, his personal connection to Scotland greatly assisted his ability to settle in easily.
One-off visits
3.5 Not all in-migrants from England knew that much about Scotland. A few had only visited once prior to moving. In one example, an entrepreneur and her partner happened to stumble across a business they were attracted to and despite having limited knowledge of the location or country, decided to relocate. When asked what she knew of Scotland prior to the move, she replied, " Nothing. I didn't even know where Aberdeen was!" This in-migrant had no real desire to move to Scotland in particular, but more to move to a rural area; knowledge of the area or country she was moving to was less important than the feeling of the place being right. This is typical of one type of Lifestyle Pursuer where Scotland conformed to aspirations.
In-migrants from overseas
3.6 On the whole, the knowledge of overseas in-migrants of life in Scotland was limited. For those who had not visited Scotland, they often had a general impression of life in the UK, or England from word of mouth, rather than Scotland specifically. Others had received information from universities or relocation agencies; conducted self-directed research, or had some existing background knowledge. There were also in-migrants from overseas who had visited Scotland beforehand either on holiday or work. Each of these sources is considered below.
Word of mouth
3.7 The main source of knowledge for many overseas in-migrants was word of mouth. To many Pragmatists, the location was somewhat incidental to their move, thus they did not require a thorough knowledge of the location. Often they were given information informally from work colleagues. Others spoke to friends and family:
"I talked to people who had relocated, people in my company who had already been in London…I talked to friends who'd been here, co-workers who'd visited on holidays, things like that." (An employee from the USA)
Most post graduates from overseas had gained information on their current university through their previous one. Knowledge of the university was of more importance than knowledge of the location they were moving to.
3.8 Other post graduates gained knowledge of their university through foreign exchange students they had met in their home country. For example, one post graduate from France had met students from the Scottish university she ended up attending through a foreign exchange scheme. Another student from China had friends who had previously undertaken exchanges to Scotland. She said that she had looked at photographs they had taken and brochures they had brought back with them before deciding to relocate. It is evident that the positive experience of others' resonates within tight-knit communities, such as academia.
Support services
3.9 A number of services exist to inform people about life in Scotland. The recently established Relocation Advisory Service, part of the Fresh Talent Initiative, is one example. Although not specifically asked, no respondent in this study said they had contacted the service.
3.10 Services used prior to moving included relocation agencies and international student associations at universities. A post graduate sponsored by an employer, gained useful knowledge from a relocation agency that assisted with the move:
"…they brought us here for four days…to explain more about this programme, to show us a little bit of the city, to show us the university and they gave us a lot of information about all the things we can do in Edinburgh."(A post graduate from Mexico)
Other post graduate students reported that their universities sent brochures and welcome packs pre-relocation. One post graduate from India contacted the Indian Student Association at her new university to ask about the practicalities of living in Scotland. They provided advice such as what items she should bring from India, and what she should wait to buy in Scotland, which she found very useful. One post graduate from Malaysia said that she had attended an annual British Education Fair in her home country. This provided her with information on universities across the UK; she picked a Scottish university on the strength of its reputation.
Self-directed research
3.11 A few Pragmatists who had never visited Scotland carried out quite extensive research before deciding on the move. For example, an in-migrant relocating to Aberdeen researched population data to determine how quiet the city was. Another in-migrant relocating from the USA conducted internet research on the weather, cost of living, and culture. For a few post graduates who had either no, or very limited contact with Scotland, they carried out extensive research on the internet - both on universities and location. One student moving from India to Glasgow reported that she used the internet to find out about the weather, language and appropriate clothing.
Previous work experiences
3.12 Some in-migrants from overseas had spent time working in Scotland before relocating. In these cases, their positive experiences influenced their decision to relocate again. One respondent said, "I just felt very much at home in Scotland." Similarly, an entrepreneur from the USA who had previously visited Inverness with work was very impressed with the area. Once he saw an opportunity to return, he did so with the firsthand opinion that it was "beautiful and safe."
One-off visits
3.13 In many cases, individuals who had moved to take up employment had not visited until they were offered the job. This was often the case for Pragmatists who had never previously considered living in Scotland until the job opportunity arose. For one respondent the decision to move to Scotland was based on one visit even though he said he " wasn't considering Scotland initially. " In another example, an employee from the USA was offered a relocation to Scotland from her company and given a holiday to the country to make the decision:
"A lot of the people I met when I was on holiday were really friendly and it went so smoothly…everything was new and exciting and I just thought wow , I could have two years of adventure if I came over here." (An employee from the USA)
Existing background knowledge
3.14 A few in-migrants from overseas demonstrated knowledge of aspects of Scotland from what they had been taught in school and university. A number of individuals mentioned learning about the architecture, history of industry, and geography of Scotland. Others who had no direct contact with Scotland mentioned that some of their knowledge came from watching films such as Braveheart and Rob Roy, or Bollywood movies filmed in Scotland.
No knowledge
3.15 Although the majority of individuals either had some previous contact with Scotland or had gained some information before the move, some respondents had minimal knowledge about living in Scotland. They sometimes did not have any preconceived notions of Scotland as a place to live, as they had never considered it before they were provided with the job opportunity:
"It was mostly a touristic place rather than a place to consider working and living in. It was a bit weird to think about it at the beginning." (An employee from Israel)
Perceptions of Scotland
Having considered in-migrants' extent and depth of knowledge of life in Scotland prior to relocation, attention is now turned to their specific perceptions.
Perceptions of the cost of living
3.16 Perceptions of the cost of living differed by where in-migrants had relocated from. In-migrants coming from other parts of the UK expected it to be less expensive. Those coming from overseas generally expected it to be more expensive than their home country.
UK in-migrants
3.17 People moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK often visited the place they were moving to in order to gain an indication of how much it would cost to rent a property in different areas. Others spoke extensively to people who lived in the area they were moving to, and found out about prices in supermarkets or the prices of drinks in pubs etc. Some in-migrants discovered that although their salary would be less, the cost of property and groceries etc. was also less.
Overseas in-migrants
3.18 Many individuals moving to Scotland from overseas had a firmly held belief, without doing any research, that the cost of living would be higher than in their home country. Some in-migrants who had come for employment said that they had researched the cost of living on the internet before relocating as they had to consider their proposed salary and whether it would be financially viable to live in Scotland. An employee in the education sector moving from the USA learned that her cost of living would double while living in Scotland - although this did not deter her from making the move.
Post-graduate students
3.19 Many students relocating to Scotland from overseas worried about how they would manage financially prior to the move, especially those who had no previous experience of Scotland. A post graduate student moving from Malaysia with her husband was warned by a relative that it would be expensive. She realised the cost of living for her family would be higher than in her home country. However, she still made the move, and once relocated, adopted a stoic attitude towards the higher costs. This was common for overseas post graduate students, especially those from outside the European Union. The same student said:
"When we come here it's really back down to basic, we can't be picky on nothing so we have to accept those things and as you can see those are the emotional and psychological things that we have to struggle with and to be strong and say don't worry, it's not too long, finish off and then we can go home."
Some students were not concerned with the cost of living, as their parents were funding their education in Scotland.
Perceptions of economic opportunities
3.20 There were mixed perceptions of economic opportunities available in Scotland. Prior to the move, many respondents had already organised economic opportunities and hence, did not think about whether they would have to look for work. Those moving from the rest of the UK without arranged employment (Lifestyle Pursuers) reported that they were aware that they may have to accept a lower salary and that the job market would be more limited than what they were used to.
3.21 Pragmatists and World Citizens who had prior employment arranged recognised that although they had good job prospects at the moment, this might not always be the case. That is, they may reach a point where they could not progress any further with their career in the Scottish job market and so would be forced to move away.
3.22 In terms of job prospects, those moving from South East England worried that there would not be many jobs available in their chosen field. This seemed to be linked to perceptions of Scotland as a small country with few sectors and as one in-migrant stated "a stagnant economy".
3.23 There were some mixed responses from in-migrants coming from overseas. There did appear to be a general perception that job opportunities were limited in Scotland, especially in specific sectors. However, after conducting some research, some reported that this was not always the case:
"I was quite surprised after doing a bit of research how many companies are actually operating in the biotechnology sector…My initial thinking was it would be very hard, whereas I think it is very easy to find a job if you know where the right opportunities are." (An employee from overseas)
3.24 Entrepreneurs who had moved to start up their own businesses and had support from public sector agencies felt that certain areas in Scotland were proactive and supportive of new business activity. Those entrepreneurs who had been involved with initiatives to encourage businesses to move to Scotland were very encouraging of the support they had received.
Perceptions of universities and academic reputation
3.25 In-migrants' perception of the standard of universities in Scotland was very high. The reputation of the universities was the reason that most students from overseas moved to Scotland. For example, a research scientist who relocated from Brazil had a very high opinion of Glasgow University, and was very impressed by the brochures sent to her which provided information on the city and student accommodation. Another student from the USA applied to 5 different universities internationally. One was Edinburgh University on the strength of its reputation; when asked how she knew of its reputation she replied:
"… you ask your own university like, do people consider Edinburgh good or not…you think about where your supervisors want you to go, where they don't want you to go, and then you think about where you can go, who has programs..." (Post graduate from the USA)
3.26 As expected, some post graduates were specifically attracted to their university on the strength of certain academic departments. A post graduate from the north of England attended Dundee University as he rated it very highly:
"I knew it would be a very good institution with an international reputation and it sort of gave me very good prospects for my future career, as in going over to the States."(Post graduate from England)
Perceptions of the quality of life in Scotland
3.27 Generally, in-migrants relocating to Scotland expected to gain an improved quality of life. Many mentioned they were attracted by the laidback pace of life Scotland seemed to offer, however, this obviously depended on where they had relocated from. Factors commonly mentioned were:
- Lack of traffic and ease of commuting
- Access to outdoor activities and the countryside
- Beautiful countryside
- The weather (pros and cons)
Lack of traffic and ease of commuting
3.28 In-migrants from the rest of the UK often talked about how they were enticed by less traffic and less pollution than where they had come from. Changes in commuting habits were a particularly important consideration for those from London; this was thought to substantially improve their quality of life:
"You don't get such a bad commute as what you do further down south…I don't have to spend 2 or 3 hours in traffic to get somewhere … Also…there is plenty of parking." (An employee from London)
Access to outdoor activities and the countryside
3.29 One factor which influenced some individuals to move to Scotland both from overseas and other parts of the UK was the easy access to outdoor activities:
"...hobby wise it has got plenty of activities that I can do. I am an outside person myself and Scotland offers the perfect opportunity to pursue those hobbies." (A post graduate from overseas)
In-migrants in cities also thought it would be easy to take part in outdoor sports, due to having increased access to the countryside.
Beautiful countryside
3.30 Most in-migrants often spoke about how they expected Scotland to have very beautiful countryside, with a wonderful sense of space and freedom. It was abundantly apparent that Scotland had a very good reputation for being a very aesthetically pleasing country:
"I thought it was absolutely amazing and beautiful, I had seen a few pictures and the movies and many of my friends who have been here on vacations have said that Scotland is the most beautiful country in the whole of UK." (An employee from India)
One couple from the USA had a very romantic notion of Scotland, and acknowledged this was based simply on watching films set in Scotland:
"I think we had the romantic view, we pictured ourselves trooping on the moors, whatever that looked like." (An entrepreneur couple from the USA)
The weather (pros and cons)
3.31 Nearly all in-migrants mentioned apprehensions about Scottish weather, expecting it to be very cold and wet. People had this perception from watching television and films set in Scotland, and word of mouth. This was consistently mentioned by individuals from overseas, including some returners, and was a real issue for some who thought that their quality of life would be affected by it:
"I would find it more challenging than some of the other places that I had been in…And I think initially my wife was worried - she doesn't like the cold and the dark so it takes some adjusting." (A returner from overseas)
Some in-migrants did see positive benefits in Scotland's climate however; people who were from, or had been living in extremely hot places such as India or Dubai appreciated the fact that it was much more comfortable to be outside in Scotland, giving more scope to enjoy outdoor activities for them and their families.
Perceptions of safety
3.32 On the whole, in-migrants thought that Scotland would be a safe place to live in. Perceptions of low levels of crime were expressed for those moving to more rural locations, and for a few, especially Lifestage Returners this was a motivation for relocating. Worries about safety were acutely expressed by those relocating to Glasgow. In contrast, Edinburgh had a much more favourable reputation. When prompted, both these images had been formed mainly from the media and word of mouth. For example, an employee from London said that his friends warned him not to move to Glasgow, as they had heard negative things about the city. This perception of Glasgow was also present among individuals from overseas:
"I've actually got family coming from Germany to spend Christmas with us and my aunt phoned me and said 'I've heard that Glasgow is high in crime - are you sure we should be coming?'" (An employee from France)
This view was also shared by a couple who relocated from the USA to start up a business and had not decided where in the Central Belt they would settle. When they moved, they were advised by most people they spoke to, to live in Edinburgh. However, upon visiting Glasgow they were so impressed by the cultural opportunities on offer, they settled there.
Perceptions of Scottish people
Overall, individuals from both overseas and other parts of the UK had very positive perceptions of Scottish people.
In-migrants from overseas
3.33 Overseas in-migrants who had researched Scotland or who had had previous contact with Scottish people said that they expected them to be warm, welcoming, friendly, and open. A post graduate from China said that she relocated to Scotland rather than England, as she had heard that the English were cold and unfriendly whereas Scots were warm and welcoming.
3.34 An in-migrant from India commented that he had heard from friends that Scotland, and the UK as a whole, was not a racist country as people are unbiased and that they "treat people like their own". However, some from overseas had heard negative comments about racial attitudes. For example, one post graduate who moved from France had not been given positive information about people in the UK as a whole. Similarly, an asylum seeker who had moved from Africa had heard that the people in Glasgow were very racist and was worried about moving.
In-migrants from the rest of the UK
3.35 On the whole, perceptions of Scottish people from those coming from the rest of the UK were positive. More so than amongst those coming from overseas, perceptions of Scottish people were linked to the area where individuals were relocating to. An in-migrant moving to Inverness expected people to be friendly, trusting, and talkative. He also expected there to be a real sense of community in the town.
3.36 There were one or two concerns that attitudes in Scotland would be somewhat old fashioned and traditional. For example, one couple had been worried that people would disapprove of them as they were an unmarried couple who were cohabiting, but they discovered that this did not present any difficulties. Some individuals were aware of the stereotypes of Scottish people:
"Scottish people are not the people who wear these kilts and haggis type hats and get drunk all the time and drink Irn Bru…I didn't expect that from 100% of the Scottish population but I don't think I have ever, ever seen that scenario." (An employee from England)
3.37 Some in-migrants relocating from England had a perception that Scottish people may be anti-English, or that they would be simply wary of 'incomers'. For example, an entrepreneur relocating from Devon had heard that Scottish people could be unwelcoming towards English people who relocated. She had not previously considered this to be an issue, and did not let it affect her decision to move to rural Scotland. It was reported that these feelings were more likely to be directed towards middle class, southern English people. However, this was not commonly reported, and the extent to which it was a problem is considered in Chapter 5.
Perceptions of location
3.38 Expectations of specific locations were often related to the type of area in-migrants were relocating to, rather than related to Scotland in particular. For example, one couple moving to rural Scotland had a very clear idea of what they thought life would be like, and this perception was related to the rurality of the area:
"A community that kind of wants to know what you're doing and would be there to help you if they needed to…they'll walk to school, people in and out of your house, collecting wood…the sense of community and the freedom, the outdoor activities, the seemingly lack of need for material stuff." (A couple from South East England)
3.39 Perceptions of Scottish cities were somewhat different. For example, many students from both overseas and other parts of the UK were keen to attend universities in Glasgow and Edinburgh as they liked the idea of the busy cities. Generally, the cities in Scotland seemed to have a good reputation for nightlife. Thus, many younger people were excited about going out a lot, socialising, and discovering the new city.
3.40 A few in-migrants observed that Scotland's cities turned out to be smaller than they had expected; for example, a few in-migrants in Edinburgh said that there was the sense that they recognised most people in their work or academic field, and their areas of personal interest, and that there might be a limited pool of people to get to know.
Perceptions of the working environment
3.41 Most employees did not expect the working environment in Scotland to be very different from what they were used to. The following quote from an employee who had relocated from overseas and worked for a multi-national company illustrates this perception:
"…no matter where in the world I go…when you are in an office it doesn't really matter where you are, the kind of work culture is much the same. The national culture may differ slightly but in the office because of our multinational flavour we tend to be very mixed up wherever we are." (An employee from overseas)
Some respondents reported positive workplace experiences in the past with Scottish colleagues:
"The impression I had of them are they are very easy going…the ones I have met were warm people, perhaps less reserved than some of the people you meet in the south." (An employee from overseas)
The perception that the UK as a whole had a meritocratic work culture was mentioned by one professional coming from overseas.
Awareness of the Fresh Talent Initiative
Overall awareness of the Initiative
3.42 In-migrants and the organisations that had contact with them were asked about their awareness of the Fresh Talent Initiative. 4 Few of the in-migrants interviewed in this study were aware of the Fresh Talent Initiative. 5 Where they were aware, there was much confusion around what it was about:
"I saw an ad about Fresh Talent in a programme at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, so I looked it up on the web site. It referred to Scotland being the best small country in the world but there was no information about how to get into Scotland, or what Scotland wanted." (A post graduate from Mexico)
Most entrepreneurs and employees had not heard of the Fresh Talent Initiative. Of the few organisations that were aware, where they were also involved with the Initiative, they had good knowledge of it. People in academia and from overseas were the most likely to say that they had heard of it, in particular the Working in Scotland Scheme which allows graduates to work in Scotland for two years after graduating.
Awareness from organisations' perspective
3.43 A number of organisations that had contact with in-migrants had heard of Fresh Talent. Those that had had involvement with it were very aware of the issues around it, however, others had only 'vaguely' heard about it through the national media, and generally didn't know what it was all about.
3.44 Some organisations had no awareness at all. When told about it they were generally receptive. A representative from an oil organisation, who had not heard of Fresh Talent before, thought that a key part of the Initiative should be inter-culture training, rather than just addressing the practicalities of relocating to Scotland.
3.45 One of the organisations had been heavily involved with Fresh Talent and was very enthusiastic about it making a difference:
"They're taking a very pro active response and attitude towards professional and sensible recruitment from overseas… [The Executive's saying] let's try and make it easy for people to try and get jobs in Scotland rather than difficult and I think that's the key to their agenda which is going in one direction in contrast to the rest of Europe which is going in a different direction. I think that Scotland's taking it to the next level." (An employer who works with in-migrants)
However, the same individual expressed concern over awareness of the Initiative amongst employers:
"…they need more resources that shout their message from the roof tops saying 'you don't have to struggle looking for people, there are places with people out there who'll want to come and work for you and bridge those gaps'."
3.46 A few organisations said that they were confused as to how Fresh Talent differed from Talent Scotland, and what the Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise were responsible for, and how they differed.
Awareness in academia
Universities
3.47 People in the academic world were more likely to have heard of Fresh Talent (International Student Advisors and post graduates), especially the Working in Scotland Scheme aimed at encouraging post graduates to stay on and look for employment in Scotland.
3.48 The two International Student Advisors from two separate universities displayed the most comprehensive knowledge of the Initiative, and mentioned it without the interviewer having to prompt. One Advisor thought that the Fresh Talent Working in Scotland Scheme had helped to attract more post graduate students to Scotland over other parts of the UK. He reported that post graduates were trying to work out which scheme gives them the best chance of finding work; the Highly Skilled Migrant Worker programme or the Fresh Talent Working in Scotland scheme. The Highly Skilled Migrant Worker Programme was thought to be better known to students at present as it had been around for longer. There were some apprehensions about what the scheme offered as explored in Chapter 4.
Post graduate students
3.49 As with the Advisors at universities, awareness of the Fresh Talent Initiative was higher amongst post graduate students interviewed than entrepreneurs or employees. A number of the students interviewed were either involved in the Fresh Talent Working in Scotland Scheme, hoped to become involved, or had friends who had been involved. One student who had relocated from China said that the Working in Scotland Scheme was one of the reasons she decided to study in Scotland. Generally, opinions were positive:
"I think it's excellent…you are attracting young people, people that are looking for an education, and also if they have the opportunity to stay here and look for a good job I think it is a benefit for both parties because otherwise Scotland will educate these people and then force them to leave." (A post graduate from overseas)
The opinions of a few post graduate students involved in the scheme are considered in Chapter 4.
3.50 Increasing awareness of the Working in Scotland Scheme does seem to be needed, as some students involved in the research were lacking information about whether it would be possible for them to continue to work in Scotland after they have completed their studies:
"…first of all, I would like to know if it's possible, not being European, possible to come here and work here, live here…Then the kind of skills Scotland is looking for, the kind of profile." (A post graduate from Mexico)
These post-graduates had not heard of the Working in Scotland, or of any policy that might make it possible for them to work in Scotland after they had graduated. There was a feeling that the Initiative could only have limited impact in terms of attracting and retaining talented people in Scotland, if people were not aware that it exists and thus, it was not yet greatly influencing decisions to move to Scotland rather than other countries.
Receptiveness to the Fresh Talent Initiative
3.51 In essence the broad principle of having an initiative in place to encourage people to relocate to Scotland was welcomed; however there were many questions in people's minds about what exactly the Initiative involved. It was evident that people just did not know what Fresh Talent offered. People who had relocated from overseas in particular were receptive to the concept of using a helpline to give advice on the practicalities of moving and getting settled in to working/studying in Scotland, as already provided by the Relocation Advisory Service.
3.52 On a more general awareness level, there was a feeling amongst some that Scotland did not advertise enough to encourage people to visit the country, either for a holiday or on a longer term basis:
"…maybe I'm missing it completely - but I'm not aware of marketing for visiting or…certainly not for coming to Scotland and living and working here. It's not something I have picked up on or not something that attracted me anyway." (An in-migrant from England)
On a similar note, one post graduate from overseas had seen an advertisement for Scotland, but after following it up, was dissatisfied by what he found:
"The only thing I have seen is an advertisement and I think it was in a magazine…Basically said that Scotland was the best small country in the world but I went to the web page and I didn't find any information…just like okay, it's the best place but they don't tell you how to get in, what you are looking for, links to other places that can help you." (A post graduate from overseas)
Conclusions
3.53 Sources and depth of knowledge of life in Scotland pre-relocation varied amongst in-migrants, with some having never visited the UK, others having visited and researched the country extensively, and others returning home.
3.54 All in-migrants coming from the rest of the UK had visited Scotland before. However, a number who had visited on holiday found that they did not know the particular area they had moved to as well as they had initially thought.
3.55 For those coming from overseas, particularly outside the EU, their main source of knowledge of life in Scotland was from word of mouth.
3.56 Most in-migrants from overseas expected the cost of living to be higher than their home country.
3.57 Respondents moving from the rest of the UK, in particular, were concerned that there may be a lack of economic opportunities compared to where they had come from, and were prepared to have to accept a lower salary than what they were used to.
3.58 Many post graduates were acutely aware of the reputation of UK universities, and had based their relocation decision on this.
3.59 Most in-migrants moving to Scotland expected to gain a better quality of life, including less traffic, easier access to outdoor activities, and beautiful countryside to enjoy.
3.60 Overall, all in-migrants had positive perceptions of Scottish people, including that they were friendly and welcoming.
3.61 There was low awareness and understanding of the Fresh Talent Initiative both amongst in-migrants and the organisations involved with in-migrants.
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