Grounded in learning, lived experience, and the realities of migration in Scotland.
We improve insight and foster dialogue.
This 3 year research develops deeper understanding of how racial diversity is perceived and experienced by migrant and racially diverse communities in Scotland. Quantitative and qualitative research is complemented by a policy laboratory investigating how policymakers and practitioners can make better use of social infrastructure to support positive outcomes as Scotland becomes more diverse.
MPS survey exploring attitudes and experiences of migration across Scotland is a central feature in our aim to provide insight infrastructure which can support wider work (our own and that of others) on migration in Scotland. More detailed understanding of what people across Scotland think and how views and experiences differ between social groups and in different parts of Scotland will help inform policy choices and debates.
In Jan 2023 we commissioned the first representative survey of attitudes to immigration in the country for nearly a decade.
Increased understanding of migrant experiences and support for new, imaginative and effective ways to confront challenges and inequalities are central to MPS work.
This two-year programme of research and engagement (2023 – 2025) aims to enhance strategic policy thinking and design effective interventions to reduce poverty in migrant households.
Migration Policy Scotland hosts a growing Migrant Community of Practice in Scotland. We are currently developing a capacity building and leadership development programme for migrants and migrant community organisations across Scotland. We want to support migrant’s ability to navigate often unfamiliar civil society and political infrastructure, to build confidence and awareness of their skills, experience, and insight, to strengthen their efforts to overcome disadvantage and exclusion.
Migration Policy Scotland is looking for partners for work building resilience to extremism in Scotland. We need to build a broad coalition to counter the potential for racist, Islamophobic and anti-migrant violence we have experienced recently.
Migration Policy Scotland seeks to expand its observatory function. Expanding capacity to monitor how the UK’s changing immigration system impacts Scotland.
This work would significantly improve the ability of a range of stakeholder to provide analysis and commentary and to increase the prospects for productive dialogue including events that contribute to a better understanding how the immigration system in Scotland specifically as well as the opportunity for more accurate comparisons across UK nations.
A key focus for this work for Migration Policy Scotland is the contribution it would make to better understanding the impacts of the immigration system on the Scottish economy. What are the impacts on business in Scotland? What are the options for mitigating negative effects? An improved evidence base would increase prospects for MPS Labour Migration briefing events that brought together representatives from business and with experts on labour markets and migration policy in June 2022
It would also support events and reports focused on specific migrant groups in Scotland such as Hong Kongers, EU nationals and those affected by the Windrush Scandal where clear appetite exists across a range of stakeholders for more insight, dialogue and learning.
Migration Policy Scotland was commissioned by Scottish Government to assist in bringing migrant perspectives to the evidence gathering and external engagement informing the development of the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2026-2031.
We elaborated a report that offers key insights around Scottish Government’s four key strategic themes: Increasing earned incomes; reducing costs and maximising incomes; delivering holistic whole family support; and breaking cycles of poverty.
This online event marked the mid-point of our project on Financial Disadvantage in Migrant Households.
We launched our report Open the Door: Migrants Facing Financial Disadvantage and their Needs for Support and Policy Briefing: Including Migrants in Policy and Practice to Reduce Poverty
These share the findings of our research and recommendations for government, local authorities, support services and employers.
The launch also marked the starting point for our policy laboratory which will drive change in policymaking and practice through co-development of feasible, fundable and effective solutions
Watch the presentations and download the slides here
Migration Policy Scotland is developing work to support wider and more nuanced understanding of the relationship between migration and broader population concerns with particular focus on rural Scotland. We are interested in exploring ways to attract and retain rural populations and in linking policy issues and conversations to better understandings of diversity and inclusion in rural contexts.
We are currently working on a project exploring the role of migration in multi-level responses to rural depopulation with the support of an Insight Award from the Scottish Council on Global Affairs. An online roundtable event on 1st September 2023 shared findings from the project and host a panel of international experts to discuss the benefits and challenges of multi-level initiatives and appropriate mechanisms for planning, implementing and evaluating policy interventions.
We are continuing to build partnerships and seeking further funding for this work.
Past work:
Watch the recording of our online roundtable event on multi-level policy responses to rural depopulation.
Read a blog about the project and the roundtable event by MPS research assistant Hana Davis here.
Listen to MPS Senior Researcher Rebecca Kay discuss migration’s role in facing Scotland’s population challenges on Good Morning Scotland, 1 September 2022.
You can also read her blog on an MPS event in 2022: Rural Lives: Retaining diverse populations here (includes event recording and materials).
Accordion Content
This online round table event discussed the role of migration in tackling rural depopulation and the benefits and challenges of initiatives involving multi-level stakeholders.
This workshop reflected on the findings of a British Academy/Leverhume-funded project at the University of Glasgow: ‘Language learning and migrant ‘integration’ in Scotland: exploring infrastructure, provision and experiences’
Providers, teachers and decisionmakers discussed how well ESOL provision was working for learners and providers in different parts of Scotland, and their understandings of who, and what, publicly funded ESOL is for.
A blog post on the event is here.
This event on Hong Kongers in Scotland brought together policy makers, practitioners and community organisations to share their knowledge and reflect on what can be done to shape the trajectories of a new migrant group that looks set to grow.
This online panel discussion, brought together organisations offering advice on the Windrush Schemes in Scotland and working on mitigating their shortcomings across the UK.
In this online workshop, Migration Policy Scotland brought together a panel of experts to discuss the policy-related issues surrounding migration into rural parts of Scotland.
This Migration Policy Scotland event hosted two expert panel discussions on the experiences and support needs of EU nationals in Scotland.
Alongside Sabir Zazai, CEO, Scottish Refugee Council and Dan Fisher, Geographer, MPS Director, Sarah Kyambi, took part in this panel at the Scottish Parliaments Festival of Politics
This Migration Policy Scotland event brought together expertise on migration and on the Scottish economy and business to assess the impacts of UK’s new immigration system in Scotland. How have businesses and the economy been impacted by the UK’s new immigration system? How have they responded? What are the benefits and challenges of the new system and how could any negative impacts be mitigated?
We started our journey to building a meaningful approach to integrating lived experience at MPS here, building connections and sharing insights to incorporate migrant lived experiences across Migration Policy Scotland’s work.
At an RSA Fellows’ MCICH Network Fellow-led event MPS Director, Dr Sarah Kyambi, joins Prof. David Bell, University of Stirling, and Prof. Oscar Guadiola-Rivera, University of London, in a discussion with Dr Parag Khanna’s of his newly published: “Move” that considers the impact of migration on the future of human civilization.
We organised a closed event for Local Authorities on 5 November 2021
Read a blog by a participant from the event here
Our launch event on 29 October 2021, marked the start of our work as a new think tank, Migration Policy Scotland, promoting a constructive approach to migration in Scotland.
In 2019 the Migration Policy Scotland Project investigated the need for more policy capacity on migration in Scotland (outside of asylum and refugee migration). This scoping exercise was conducted as a series of conversations that explored:
We spoke with over 50 people working with migrants or on migration issues across Scotland. This including workshops in Aberdeen and Glasgow. The resulting report was discussed at an online event in July 2020. On the basis of this consultation, we took the decision to found a think tank. Migration Policy Scoltand was set up. Our purpose is to promote a constructive approach to migration.