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The third wave of our annual representative survey of public attitudes to immigration in Scotland. Views are cooling, but they remain complex and often contradictory - especially once the questions get specific.
Each February we ask a representative sample of more than 2,000 adults in Scotland what they think about immigration. The 2025 survey is the third wave in the series, so we can now see how attitudes are moving over time, not just where they stand today.
Across almost every question, views have cooled since 2023. The sharpest change came between 2023 and 2024, with the shift continuing at a slower pace since. But cooling is not the same as hardening. The same public that wants less immigration overall also wants care workers, students and seasonal workers to keep coming. Views expressed in general terms are often contradicted when people are asked more specific questions.
This page sets out the headline findings. The full analysis, including differences by age, geography, social contact and voting preference, is in the report, which you can download at the top of this page. Topline results are available here, and the raw data is available on request from info@migrationpolicyscotland.org.uk.
Looking for the latest data? The 2026 edition is now available.
Attitudes to immigration are clearly changing, but they remain complex and contradictory.
Dr Sarah Kyambi and Dr Rebecca Kay, report authors
Views expressed in general terms are often contradicted where respondents are asked more specific questions.
From the introduction
Taken together these findings suggest that job competition is not the current focus of public concerns regarding immigration.
On perceptions of work and jobs
While there is general alignment with the preference for a reduction in immigration level, specific proposals are less clearly in line with public views.
On the UK Government White Paper
The survey was conducted by Diffley Partnership between 4 and 10 February 2025 through the ScotPulse panel, as part of the Understanding Scotland series. It reached 2,194 adults across Scotland, with responses weighted by age and gender to Scottish adult population estimates. Wave 1 ran in January 2023 and Wave 2 in February 2024.
Topline results for 2023 to 2025 are published alongside this report. The raw data is available on request from info@migrationpolicyscotland.org.uk.
Kyambi, S. and Kay, R. (November 2025) Attitudes to Immigration in Scotland: Changing, complex, contradictory. Migration Policy Scotland.
The report covers immigration levels, policy preferences, perceived impacts, attitudes to diversity and experiences of immigration, with breakdowns by age, geography, social contact and voting preference.