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Posted: Friday, May 30th, 2025

The UK Government’s tough new immigration proposals are “a ticking time bomb” for Scottish construction, potentially causing an exodus of skilled workers and leaving the sector with a massive skills gap, SELECT has warned.

The association states that the proposals to raise the qualification standards for foreign workers are likely to lead to a significant number abandoning the UK and returning home, with Scottish construction workers flooding south to fill the resulting shortage south of the Border.

SELECT also echoed a concerning new report, insisting that leaving the country “bereft of skills” would impact Scotland’s transition to net zero, with fewer qualified professionals available to install and maintain renewable technology.

Managing director Alan Wilson raised these concerns with First Minister John Swinney during a meeting of Scottish business leaders last week, where he relayed apprehensions from across the construction sector.

Alan said: “Raising the thresholds for skilled workers may seem on the face of it to be a laudable aim, but it is likely to be detrimental to recruitment in the major UK population areas and that means workers will be sucked in from places like Scotland.

“In areas such as London, it’s estimated that 50% of the workforce is from abroad, so if they leave, Scottish workers are likely to flood south to take up highly-paid jobs, leaving the domestic construction sector in crisis.

“This could leave Scotland bereft of skills, with no opportunity to replenish 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.

“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 the government at the highest level.”

The UK Government published its white paper policy document, Restoring control over the immigration system, on 12 May, proposing changes to make it harder to move to and settle in the UK, with the aim of reducing immigration.

Under the proposals, Labour is suggesting raising the threshold for skilled workers from the Regulated Qualifications Framework 3 (RFQ3) – equivalent to Scottish Highers – to RFQ6, which is degree level.

Alan asserts that many existing qualified tradespeople will not meet the new threshold and insists that the move will also hinder recruitment, with firms becoming less willing to take on apprentices, which will create a long-term impact on the sector.

He said: “We are facing a crisis in recruitment in almost all trades which will not be helped by the uncertainty caused by these proposals.

“The construction sector is a vital pillar of the Scottish economy, supporting infrastructure development, housing delivery, and the green transition, yet it is already experiencing a persistent and growing skills shortage.

“According to the Construction Industry Training Board, an additional 26,100 workers will be needed across Scotland between 2024 and 2028 to meet demand, yet apprenticeship starts across construction have remained flat, with only around 6,500 new entrants per year.”

SELECT’s warning follows a new report by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, which shows the UK is losing the skills and supply chain needed to deliver net zero, with a growing share of energy sector jobs, investment, and innovation shifting abroad.

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