The UK Government's recently published immigration proposals are a "ticking time bomb" that could trigger a significant outflow of skilled workers from Scotland's construction sector and severely impede the country's transition to net zero, SELECT has warned.

The electrotechnical trade association argues that the proposals, outlined in the UK Government's "Restoring control over the immigration system" white paper published on May 12, will raise the qualification standards for foreign workers from Regulated Qualifications Framework 3 (RQF3) – equivalent to Scottish Highers – to RQF6, which is degree level. This shift is likely to cause many existing qualified tradespeople from abroad to leave the UK.

Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, raised these grave concerns directly with First Minister John Swinney at a meeting of Scottish business leaders last week. Wilson highlighted that if a significant number of foreign workers, who make up an estimated 50% of the workforce in major UK population areas like London, depart, Scottish construction workers could be "sucked south" to fill the resulting highly-paid vacancies.

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"This could leave Scotland bereft of skills, with no opportunity to top up from abroad, and could lead to the worst of all possible worlds just as we need these skills to fulfil our transition to a net zero economy," Wilson stated. "This ticking time bomb could leave Scotland without enough skilled workers to build the country we need, which is why we had to bring it to the attention of government at the highest level."

SELECT also echoed the findings of a new report this week from the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, which indicated that the UK is already losing the skills and supply chain necessary to achieve net zero. The Chamber's 41st Energy Transition Survey revealed that two-thirds of over 100 energy firms expect to increase their overseas headcount in the next five years, with almost half reporting staff already leaving the UK for other energy regions.

Wilson further warned that the proposed changes could deter recruitment and discourage firms from taking on apprentices, creating a long-term impact on the sector. According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), Scotland's construction industry needs an additional 26,100 workers between 2024 and 2028 to meet demand, yet apprenticeship starts have remained flat at around 6,500 new entrants per year.

Beyond trades, Wilson, who also chairs the Construction Industry Collective Voice, expressed concern that Scottish architecture schools, which often rely on fees from international students, might face closure if prospective students are deterred by post-qualification uncertainty. This could lead to a severe lack of both domestically trained and internationally retained architectural talent.