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Chapter Four Barriers to settling in and staying on

Introduction

4.1 Although overall experiences of relocating to Scotland were positive, in-migrants experienced a broad range of barriers and frustrations in relation to settling in. The barriers faced and the extent to which they were a problem varied by situation, and can be broadly attributed to typologies. Pragmatists and World Citizens tended to face fewer, less serious barriers to settling in. Within these typologies, those coming from overseas often experienced problems accessing financial services. Returning Scots and their families often faced barriers to settling back into life in Scotland that were less practical. The group that faced the most significant barriers to settling in were the Lifestyle Pursuers who often had unmet expectations of their new lifestyle.

4.2 It is worth noting that there was a subtle different between the barriers experienced, and what might be better termed frustrations. A culmination of frustrations can add up to become actual barriers that may prevent people from settling in and staying on. However, the respondents in this study were all still living in Scotland, so barriers that could not be overcome, to either relocate or stay on, are not represented. The biggest barriers amongst this sample were around the challenges of finding suitable work opportunities, and personal happiness with new lifestyles. Frustrations, included difficulties with opening a bank account, were not a barrier to staying on but contributed to some overall negative feelings about life in Scotland.

4.3 A minority of the barriers can be seen as unique to Scotland but the majority were the kind of difficulties that are likely to be experienced when relocating anywhere. Some barriers for overseas in-migrants were perhaps applicable to the UK, or the European Union, rather than Scotland specifically. For example, the relative high cost of living.

Key barriers

4.4 The main barriers and frustrations to settling in faced by in-migrants are grouped under the following headings:

• Getting here
  • Immigration and visas
  • Concerns expressed by business support agencies
• Living and working
  • Difficulties finding suitable employment
  • The high cost of living
  • Finding suitable accommodation
• Practical considerations
  • Access to financial services
  • Access to other services
  • Tax and benefit systems
  • Other public services
  • Transport
• Settling in
  • Issues related to Scotland generally and specific areas in particular
  • Difficulties making friends
  • Family or partner not settling in
  • Missing a previous location
  • Language
• Community - culture and cohesion
  • Differences in culture
  • Racial, religious and cultural intolerance
  • Anti-English feelings
  • Anti-incomer feelings

Each area is considered in more detail below.

Getting here

Immigration and visas

Getting advice on immigration

4.5 In-migrants from overseas reported mixed experiences of the UK immigration system and procedures. One of the biggest frustrations was the sense of not really knowing where to turn to get advice. There were individual cases of people having serious difficulties in finding out what visa they needed for their particular circumstance, and having on-going problems with the immigration services. Advice sought by potential in-migrants from British Embassy staff prior to moving was not always seen as helpful.

Treatment by Embassy staff

4.6 There were a number of examples of people reporting that they had been treated badly by overseas British Embassy staff. Even if this had occurred several years ago, there was still bitterness and resentment around it. For example, a medical consultant who had relocated from South Africa felt he was treated very badly by British Embassy staff in his home country:

"The way those people treat you is a disgrace. It's really, really terrible. Heavy handed, difficult, you can't ask questions. I don't know whether anybody has an idea how bad it is." (An employee from overseas)

Renewing visas

4.7 Frustrations were also reported around the process of renewing visas, especially the need to pay a significant amount of money for each person in the family, and the need to send away original documents for several weeks, or to travel to Glasgow, or in one example, Croydon, to do this in person.

Concerns expressed by business support agencies

4.8 The representative of the business incubator that was interviewed felt that although Scotland offered excellent opportunities to new businesses in terms of financial and advisory support, there were barriers to relocation. When asked how easy it was for businesses or entrepreneurs to make the move, the reply given was:

"The feedback I get from the client is that they find it very confusing, they find all the various agencies, organisations, whilst we in the industry may understand how it all interrelates those on the outside don't and Scottish Enterprise, those enterprise companies, cluster teams and then you have spin offs and so forth so it's not surprising I think the point is where do I go, who do I talk to?"

This view was backed up by other organisations that were consulted. Another issue seen by the representative of the business incubator was a perception of Scotland not being a major business hub; but he felt that there was work being done to change this.

4.9 One business support agency who worked specifically with ethnic minorities, said that there was a frustration amongst people coming from England and of an ethnic minority background, that Scotland did not offer them as much business support as they had been used to receiving. The agency was also concerned by the amount of people from ethnic minority backgrounds that set up businesses out of economic necessity, because they couldn't find employment. There was also concern expressed over the fact that many entrepreneurs only found out about available business services once they had already settled in, and were at a stage that it was no longer as helpful.

Living and working

Difficulties finding suitable employment

4.10 Some in-migrants who had not arranged work in advance of moving or not made many initial enquiries about possible work opportunities, were very surprised to discover how difficult it was to find either work that used their skills, or in a few cases, any type of work at all. Problems were experienced both in cities and rurally, and by those from the UK and overseas, and by in-migrants at different life stages.

Post graduates and Fresh Talent

4.11 A number of post graduates who had completed their studies had problems finding suitable employment. This included a few that were on Fresh Talent visas. One graduate from the USA was working two part time jobs because she was not able to find suitable employment. Of her job search in Edinburgh she said:

"It was absolutely ridiculous. Things I was over qualified for, I wasn't considered for…(then) I was under qualified, even with my Masters degree…when it came down to it there really weren't the jobs." (A post graduate from the USA)

4.12 One post graduate from overseas had completed a Business and Management Masters at a reputable Scottish University, having done a degree in Engineering in his home country. He had moved to Scotland in July 2005 on a Fresh Talent visa and was still looking for suitable employment. At the time of interview he was working in retail. Of employers and his job search he said:

"They are a bit reluctant to recruit people under this Initiative because they don't know first of all and of course it is more like they recruit people from EU having unrestricted work permit…You will probably get retail jobs, or admin jobs, but getting a proper career…just very, very slow." (Post graduates from overseas)

4.13 Supporting this, the International Student Advisors interviewed at two universities were also worried that employers were not aware of Fresh Talent, making it hard for post graduates on the visa to get work, and forcing them to take on something unaligned to their career plans. They also reported other reservations about the Initiative and how it may develop:

• One Advisor thought the Fresh Talent literature was very emotive, and referred to opportunities to find work in Scotland, which implies that there will be work available. There was a concern that students would be disillusioned when they could not find suitable work. Fresh Talent was seen as unintentionally promising something that it does not intend to/cannot deliver.
• One of the Advisors had been asked by her students for advice on the scheme, and although she wanted to be as helpful as possible, she had to refer them to the Relocation Advisory Service ( RAS). From her point of view there was a problem with RAS only operating from Glasgow; some students were nervous about sending their documents off and preferred dealing with someone face-to-face, but the journey there was a long and expensive one.
• One advisor said that just before Fresh Talent started, he had 200 students keen to remain, now the numbers who are interested is less, as they are realising it will cost them money at the end of their studies to stay, at a time when they would not have much.

Lifestyle Pursuers from the UK

4.14 Difficulty finding suitable employment was a particularly notable issue for Lifestyle Pursuers from the UK. They discovered they had unrealistic expectations of job opportunities in Scotland, particularly for highly skilled professionals coming from the South East and living outside Scotland's Central Belt. One in-migrant assumed that although the job market he was moving into was small, there was one company that offered similar work to his previous employment. Even though the work was not particularly what he wanted to continue doing, he had envisaged that he would be able to rely on his past experience to secure a job post-relocation, which was not the case:

"Having worked in a large company in toiletries I just thought oh well I'll just fit in there and I'll have to put up with what I have to put up with." (An entrepreneur from South East England)

Others were surprised by the limited types of jobs available in their new location. One couple who subsequently set up their own business said:

"We both started to look at jobs…It was the public sector or nothing…I just never imagined there wouldn't be a private sector. I just kind of thought you couldn't have an economy without a private sector but actually you can and here it is." (A couple from London)

4.15 As with the couple in the above quote, the lack of work opportunities led to a few in-migrants setting up a business of their own. People reported mixed feelings about becoming self-employed when driven to this by economic necessity rather than a genuine desire to start a business. At worst, a few people spoke about feeling lonely and isolated.

Overseas in-migrants and partners

4.16 All in-migrants from overseas either had a job, or came with a partner who had a job. However, some unemployed partners from overseas had trouble finding suitable employment once here:

"A major problem we really do have is finding a job for my wife…the general feeling is that the job market for professional people is not that big here in Glasgow area. So, if you come with a job that's no problem, but if you come here and then start looking for a job, then it can become a problem." (An employee from Israel)

There was a sense of frustration that in some places and some employment sectors there was an established network of local people who knew each other and, from the viewpoint of some in-migrants, got the best jobs.

The employers' perspective - recruiting from overseas

4.16 One organisation who had an overarching remit of recruiting staff from overseas, saw the main challenge being that a large number of Scottish companies that required highly skilled in-migrants were small/medium firms and did not have specialist HR divisions. In these cases, senior managers or owners felt outside their comfort zone when thinking about recruiting from outside Scotland; the prospect of recruiting from overseas was perceived as a timely and costly process, and thus, off-putting. Companies also perceived that it would be difficult to deal with immigration for work permits, and that relocatees may not settle into Scotland and thereby time and money would be invested in a venture that may not be successful.

4.17 Harrison et al's research (2005) found that amongst their sample the companies they interviewed carried out very little recruitment of overseas staff, one worry being that their families might not settle in. A few concerns were expressed by employers in this study about recruiting from overseas. These were around differences in overseas qualifications and training, and differences in work culture. Some employers made great efforts to help their employees settle in as they saw this as an important part of retaining them (as discussed in Chapter 5); others who were more confident that they wouldn't have retention problems, and could fill the vacancies with UK employees had a more nonchalant attitude to providing assistance:

'There's nothing too much to worry about other than the softer things around family and friends…and they wouldn't be asking us about that…that's a personal decision.' (An employer)

Other issues

4.18 A few individuals mentioned frustrations around the problems of recognition of professional qualifications gained overseas, specifically in medicine and veterinary. A public sector medical consultant spoke of the frustration of not being able to get professional recognition for his specialist qualifications from South Africa. He felt this could potentially put off other experienced consultants from applying for posts in Scotland.

High cost of living

4.19 There were some frustrations with higher cost of living for some. This heavily depended on where in-migrants had relocated from, and the area of Scotland they relocated to. Those from overseas generally anticipated that the cost of living would be higher than where they had come from, but still felt the effects of it. A number of in-migrants from overseas commented that they had made significant changes to their lifestyles:

"It has been about double of what it costs to have the same quality of living in America." (An employee from the USA living in Edinburgh)

4.20 Living and working in other countries led Scottish returners to get used to different costs of living which required some re-adjustment upon their return:

"The cost of living here is high I think by standards of many other parts of the world so getting used to that is thought provoking." (A returner from overseas)

4.21 There were mixed responses over the price of living for those relocating from the UK. Some respondents thought that there had been no change in their outgoings; others found comparisons varied; a few found that in taking a reduction in salary they were financially worse off than before the move:

"If you think downsizing is fun think again…I don't like not having any money and I've been very open about that, I think there's a reality in that and you can't eat the scenery." (A couple from South East England)

Although they had somewhat anticipated it, this couple expressed a frustration that salaries were lower in the rural area they now lived in compared to South East England. When asked what their barriers to settling in and staying on were, they said "You can't earn decent wages up here - forget it!"

4.22 A number of individuals from the UK admitted that they had not extensively considered the cost of living pre-relocation, and that this had caused some problems:

"I don't think I thought about it a lot…we've had some rude awakenings." (A couple from England living in the Highlands)

It was commonly reported that property prices were higher than anticipated - both in cities and rurally. A young couple, who had moved from London to Edinburgh with the intention of saving to buy a flat, said that their monthly savings were much lower than they expected due to the "astronomical amount of council tax". In-migrants from overseas were often completely unaware of having to pay council tax until they received the bill. Many commented on the fact that council tax was higher than they had anticipated:

"The only thing I would say about Glasgow which I think is quite expensive is council tax. I think I am paying more than I used to pay in London. Apart from that the cost of living is better here, it is much cheaper." (An entrepreneur from London)

Finding suitable accommodation

4.23 The main problems in-migrants had in accessing accommodation related to cost, suitability and dealing with systems which were different from their country of origin. For in-migrants with children, the importance of being able to send children to a good school meant that schools and property locations had to be explored together.

Renting property

4.24 A number of in-migrants complained about the standard of some of the rented accommodation available:

"I was really surprised by the poor quality of rented accommodation. Places were similar to apartments in Poland twenty years ago. I cannot understand why a rich country like this has such poor housing." (Medical consultant from Poland)

"I was shown awful places by the local council; a flat in an otherwise derelict building, with burned out cars outside, and people calling us names and spitting at us…They only showed us places that other people did not want." (Post graduate student from Malaysia)

4.25 Where in-migrants wanted or needed to arrange accommodation prior to relocating, letting agents were felt to be very unhelpful. Success was more often achieved via newspaper websites and dealing directly with landlords. Another surprise for some was the time taken to arrange renting a flat. For example letting agencies needed to do a credit rating check which took 10 days to complete.

Buying property

4.26 When buying a property a number of in-migrants found the Scottish system extremely frustrating. In particular the closed bidding and 'offers over' were very hard for some to understand and use:

"It's ridiculous - the offers over. You just don't know where to pitch it…It's just wasting time." (An employee from overseas)

4.27 For some coming from the rest of the UK and buying a property in Scotland, it seemed very difficult to find a way of synchronising the sale of one property with the purchase of another. It was felt only feasible to buy in Scotland once the sale of an existing property was completed, which was different from the system familiar to English in-migrants. This led to the additional complication of having to think about renting a property at first. There was the sense that the Scottish system favours the seller and is not helpful to in-migrants.

Accommodation problems for post graduates

4.28 Sometimes universities arranged accommodation, although it was more typical for post graduates to find their own. Finding suitable accommodation for students with families was extremely difficult. In some areas it was reported to be in very short supply and the organisations in contact with students felt frustrated that they often ended up staying in unsafe areas.

4.29 Some complications had arisen when post graduates from overseas needed their accommodation confirmed before they could register with universities, which was practically impossible to do before arrival. The International Student Advisors were concerned about this, and believed it was an unnecessary requirement. Additional problems occurred when students agreed in advance to a lease contract before seeing the property in question, and then had difficulties getting out of the contract when it turned out to be unsuitable.

Practical considerations

Access to financial services

4.30 Frustrations around opening a bank account in Scotland were commonly reported by overseas in-migrants for all economic sub-groups of entrepreneurs, employees and post graduates. The effects of the difficulties they experienced were both practical and emotional:

"We are educated, middle class Californians, we are academics, we are home owners, and we could only get the most basic account, it was very annoying logistically, and it was insulting. The inability to set up basic things like bank accounts and a telephone line made us feel transitory, it prevented us from settling in, it made us feel uninvited and unwelcome. This is crazy if Scotland really wants people from abroad." (An employed couple from the USA)

4.31 The problem was not only faced by those new to the country. One returner felt that the UK's "banking system has not caught up with the international globalisation of business". Having left the UK system for several years, a few Scottish returners reported difficulties opening bank accounts and re-establishing credit histories:

"Buying a car was…difficult because we had been living abroad for 10 years and we were no longer on the electoral register so we couldn't get a loan." (A returner from overseas)

4.32 Clearly, a lack of access to a bank account had knock on effects on access to other financial services, leading to more frustration. The feeling of being stuck in a vicious circle came up a number of times:

"Because you can't get a bank account, you can't rent because you have to have a bank account and then you can't get one because you don't have a place to live so you can't win." (An employee from overseas)

Access to other services

4.33 There were also some frustrations around not being eligible to take out monthly payment contracts for mobile phones. A highly skilled, entrepreneur couple from overseas were extremely dissatisfied that they would have to wait 3 years to take out a monthly payment mobile phone contract. They were unaccustomed to having to use 'pay as you go' phones, and were left with a feeling that there was a lack of trust towards them.

4.34 Getting landlines and broadband connections proved to be time consuming and complicated for a number of in-migrants. In one particular case, a month to get a business landline installed was thought to be far too long for an entrepreneur who wanted to get his business set up as soon as possible. This was linked to a feeling that customer service in Scotland was poor compared with some other locations. Examples included, phone calls not being returned, records of agreements not being kept, which was compounded by the fact that reportedly local people accepted this was the way things were and did not complain.

Tax and benefits systems

4.35 Taxation systems were felt to be complicated for global entrepreneurs and returners, or anyone whose circumstances were not straightforward. One very successful entrepreneur almost decided not to set up his business in Scotland due to the complexities and frustrations of trying to understand legislative and taxation issues. It was reported that it was very hard to find the right people to provide advice on such matters, with international business advisors being very cautious. A self-employed consultant noted that it was difficult to get clear information on registering for taxes and setting-up as self-employed:

"After I got this work permit and arrived in the UK, there was really no website or place that I could go to help me…I still don't know at this point what I'm supposed to do as far as to register myself to pay taxes." (An entrepreneur from overseas)

There were frustrations amongst those who pay UK tax and were not allowed to claim certain benefits as a condition of their visa arrangement.

Other public services

4.36 In the main, in-migrants were satisfied with the health and education facilities available in Scotland. There were of course some concerns, for example the lack of public dentists was mentioned by a number of in-migrants from England. There were also frustrations around the variation in standards provided by schools (especially secondary education) and the need to know how to "beat the system" by living in the right catchment area. A few non-Christian in-migrants said they had difficulty in choosing suitable schools as most state schools in their area were Christian.

Transport

Public transport

4.37 Newcomers often found it difficult to know how to use public transport at first. It was felt that local buses in cities were quite expensive for short journeys, and the routes were not always easy to understand. In addition they were not felt to be reliable enough to use for commuting to work:

"The buses in Glasgow are not as good as in London. They are not well signposted, they don't tell you the route they are following, they have complicated fares, why can't they have a flat fare structure and be made easier to understand?" (A returner from London)

"I'd really like to use the bus for commuting to work in Glasgow but they are too unreliable." (An employee from overseas)

4.38 Trains tended to be regarded more favourably. Routes were easier to understand and some lines in particular were singled out for praise e.g. East Coast line Aberdeen to London. Comments were made however about trains being dirty. Flights were generally considered to be fairly expensive for personal use, with some complaining of a limited range of direct routes available. Scotland was, however, regarded as a good "gateway to Europe" and therefore the rest of the world, in terms of air routes. Also, low-cost coach companies were mentioned by some post graduates as useful for their very cheap long distance journeys.

Private transport

4.39 Fuel costs were deemed to be very expensive by those coming from outwith the UK; people living in rural locations in particular were often surprised and frustrated by how much they had to spend.

Settling in

Location - Scotland generally and specific areas

4.40 There were some examples of in-migrants who were frustrated because their lifestyle had not improved as much as they had anticipated. This was most commonly experienced amongst Lifestage Returners and Lifestyle Pursuers. In these cases it was possible to make adjustments by moving to another location for example. One couple who had moved their family from South East England to rural Scotland found that they had a long car commute to Inverness, and were not achieving the rural life they had wanted. They planned to move nearer Inverness to remedy this .

4.41 Some parts of Scotland suffered from not being perceived as cosmopolitan, multicultural or open to change when compared to other destinations by both new in-migrants and returners:

"I am missing the multi-culturalism...I miss seeing people from all walks of life, people from different cultures and places, gay people. There is nothing Bohemian in the Highlands, it is all too twee." (An in-migrant from South East England to the Highlands)

"Scotland can feel claustrophobic…it can feel like a small country, and not in a good way." (A returner)

"There is a conservative and pompous side to Scotland, for example the legal profession in Glasgow is very resistant to change." (A returner from London to Glasgow)

Friendship difficulties

4.42 A minority of in-migrants talked about difficulties around making friends, and not feeling welcomed as part of a community. These were issues that could be commonly experienced moving to any new community:

"I think one of the barriers is social relations because they are difficult to create, to make friends. Even though people are friendly, if you are not involved in some kind of activity where you meet people, it is difficult." (An employee from overseas)

It is worth noting that it was sometimes harder for older single people, especially returners, to feel settled quickly, due to friendships taking longer to form. Many recognised the importance of making an effort to meet new people and not just staying at home all the time; but this was sometimes a barrier to settling in.

Family and/or partner not settling in

4.43 Family and partner not settling in was a barrier that came through more clearly from the organisation level interviews. This may be due to the fact that the in-migrants interviewed were not comfortable addressing the problems of not being able to settle in, and that in the cases where in-migrants had not settled in they had not stayed on. One relocation agency explained the problems faced by partners of employees as follows:

"The spouse is left at home to muddle through and try and organise all the problems that are arriving hour by hour so the person at home has a heck of a lot more stress and problems to deal with than the person who is coming over here to work." (A relocation agency)

Finding suitable work, apart from the added financial security, was an important way for partners to feel settled in their new location. This was a particular issue in smaller towns and rural areas, and for people with specific skills and qualifications who were looking for specific work. Partners sometimes compromised and took on work that might not be their first choice where the other person in the relationship had found suitable employment.

Missing previous locations

4.44 What people missed about their previous location obviously depended on where they had come from and where they had moved to. There was a lot of variation in what people reported that they missed. As may be expected, those who were less happy with their relocation were more likely to talk at length about missing their previous location. Aspects that in-migrants missed included:

Across all groups

• Family and friends - this was the first thing mentioned by most in-migrants

Those from South East England

• Cultural diversity
• Better employment opportunities and wages available

Those from overseas

• The weather in their home country - both more sunshine and more snow
• Local foods - comments were made on missing food from in-migrants' home countries, but when they could find it, it was very expensive. Some people also commented that they missed eating out as much as they used to, due to high prices.

Language

4.45 The dominance of the English language in the UK was a key pull factor for many overseas in-migrants. Some had come to improve their English and felt that their lack of fluency sometimes hindered them. A number had not realised the extent to which accents differed within the UK and struggled in both cities and rural areas:

"It took me months to be able to understand what people were saying to me. People called me hen. I had no idea what it meant you know for months." (An in-migrant from overseas)

A minority reported that people did not understand them due to their own accent.

Community cohesion

Differences in culture

4.46 In-migrants from overseas, both outwith and within the European Union, struggled with the less positive aspects of Scottish culture, including excessive drinking, anti-social behaviour, and unhealthy eating. The most significant problem was the prevalent drinking culture:

"I was very shocked by people drinking to excess at a Saturday night work function, it was totally inappropriate…I am amazed that staff think nothing of going to work with a hangover." (An employee from the USA)

An employer that works with in-migrants to help them settle in commented that the effect of the drinking culture on some overseas in-migrants is that it leads to a feeling of exclusion. This was reflected in a comment by an in-migrant:

"I feel totally out of synch with the Scottish way of life, all that emphasis on smoking and drinking." (A couple from the USA)

However, a number of in-migrants, particular younger people, enjoyed this aspect of the social culture.

4.47 Other visible social problems also made in-migrants feel uncomfortable. Examples given included poverty, homeless people on city streets, drunk people on weekend evenings, problems with drug misuse, and anti-social behaviour:

"Although there is less violence than the US the anti-social behaviour here is more "in your face", you see it everywhere whereas in the US it would be confined to ghettos." (An in-migrant who has lived in a number of countries)

This aspect of a culture of violence was seen to be mirrored in the media:

"If you switch on the news and if it is British it is just full of murder and stabbing…I'm not sure I can get used to it." (An employee from Germany)

4.48 A number of in-migrants from overseas were surprised by 'unhealthy living'. Comments were made about the high proportion of people who smoke, the lack of exercise taken, and a poor diet amongst Scottish people. A few in-migrants from overseas were also surprised that Scotland was culturally less Christian than expected.

Racial, religious or cultural intolerance

4.49 Several incidents of racial, religious or cultural intolerance were commented on, however, most thought that Scotland was less racist than other places they had lived. In the main, anyone who had been the victim of this type of attitude and behaviour wanted to minimise the ill feeling it had caused them, and put it down to the ignorance of the person in question. Those reporting examples of this type of behaviour and attitude included people from India, the USA, Malaysia, Iran, Brazil and England. Specific examples given included verbal abuse, spitting, difficulties getting work and service staff being rude and unhelpful.

4.50 On a more positive note, there were some comments from people from the USA indicating that they observed people in Scotland to be more tolerant and accepting of people from different backgrounds. A few in-migrants from other countries felt that their own beliefs helped them be accepted within a community.

Anti-incomer feelings

4.51 Some anti-incomer feelings were experienced; however it was at a low level and more apparent outside the central belt. There was a feeling that locals in rural areas felt frustrated that "incomers" were going to make a profit on property and cause house prices to increase, forcing them out of the market. At the same time in-migrants often understood such resentment:

"It takes time for someone like me to get into the local community. There is a suspicion that we are just here for the property market and will then leave." (An entrepreneur from England living rurally)

Anti-English feelings

4.52 In-migrants from the UK found it difficult to address the question of whether anti-English feeling existed, and how it manifested itself. On the whole, it was reported that it existed, but not at a level that was directly offensive:

"I'm chatting to a lot of people all the time, and you do find there are people who are obviously anti-English, but they're anti-English, not anti-English person. If they're chatting to an English person, they say 'well you're ok, you're fine'. It's just the English generally are terrible!" (An entrepreneur couple from South West England)

However some 'banter' did leave English people feeling uneasy, and with a feeling that there was something 'real' in the comments. One non- UK in-migrant commented:

"The English have a tougher time than other non-Scots. It is often bound up in a bit of a joke…but underneath the banter and the humorous tone there is actually a bit of an edge, a bit of antagonism, a bit of resentment." (An in-migrant from South Africa)

4.53 There was a feeling that there was more awkwardness towards more middle class people, and those from London and the South East, than in-migrants from Northern England. Also, anti-English feelings were more prevalently reported in Northern Scotland (Aberdeen and Inverness) than in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Conclusions

4.54 There were a broad range of barriers and frustrations in relation to settling into life in Scotland as experienced by in-migrants. This varied by situation, and can be broadly attributed to typologies. Pragmatists and World Citizens tended to face fewer, less serious barriers to settling in.

4.55 The group that appeared to face the most significant barriers to settling in were the Lifestyle Pursuers who often had unmet expectations of their new lifestyle.

4.56 Difficulty finding suitable employment, whilst not being the most common barrier, was one of the most salient. It had serious implications for how successful some people saw their move as being. Lack of employment opportunities led a number of in-migrants to set up their own businesses.

4.57 Post graduates in particular expressed problems finding jobs outside of academia, and for a few on the Fresh Talent visa this was frustrating as they had had to take jobs that were unaligned to their chosen career path.

4.58 There were some frustrations around the high cost of living, but this had been anticipated amongst most in-migrants coming from overseas. A few in-migrants coming from the rest of the UK were surprised to find the cost of living to be higher than they had expected.

4.59 Finding suitable accommodation prevented some in-migrants, especially post graduates from settling in quickly.

4.60 Many in-migrants from overseas expressed that they had had problems and delays in opening bank accounts in the UK.

4.61 For some overseas in-migrants, differences in culture were difficult to overcome. One aspect that was mentioned quite commonly was the tendency for socialising in Scotland to revolve around alcohol.

4.62 Racial, religious or cultural intolerance was experienced by some in-migrants. In-migrants who had been the victim of this tended to play it down.

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