Scotland's Migration Service: FOI release

Information requested

1. How many people has Scotland's Migration Service helped so far, and could supply breakdown bynationality?

2. How much has it cost so far, with breakdown of costs?

3. Could you supply all analysis undertaken by or for the Scottish Government about increasing immigration into Scotland, and any briefings and minutes/notes from meetings about this, and correspondence sent and received, from the last three months?

5. Could you supply all documentation held by the Scottish Government, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), minutes/notes from meetings, briefings, analysis, about bespoke immigration measures for Scotland, including about a Scottish visa, from the last three months?

Response

1. How many people has Scotland's Migration Service helped so far, and could supply breakdown by nationality? 

Response:

Please see below most of the information you requested.

Scotland’s Migration Service provides support to people in three ways:

1) The vast majority of people seeking support from Scotland’s Migration Service access support through digital platforms. Content within scope of the service is hosted on Scotland.org and on a subdomain. We do not collect the nationality of people who access the platforms, but we can provide the number of users who have accessed them. For the first phase of the service, between 27 March 2024 and 18 November 2024, available data shows that Scotland’s Migration Service content was viewed by 15,000 users. An expanded service launched on 19 November 2024. From the November launch until 30 April 2025, available data shows that Scotland’s Migration Service content was viewed by 160,000 users. Figures are accurate to the nearest thousand users.

2) Scotland’s Migration Service delivers a range of webinars to Scotland-based employers and inward investors. We do not collect the nationality of people who attend webinars, but we can provide a total number of users who have attended webinars. From June 2024 to April 2025, 641 users attended a webinar. Webinar recordings have been viewed 278 times by users.

3) Scotland’s Migration Service provides free one-to-one appointments for eligible users. We collect the nationality of those who attend appointments and can provide the majority of these details as part of this FOI response. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information because the following exemptions of FOISA apply: section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information). Further details are provided below.

Section 38(1)(b) contains three different exemptions (referred to as the first, second and third conditions). The exemption which applies is the ‘first condition’. The requested information is third-party personal data and its disclosure would contravene principle (a) of Article 5(1) of the UK GDPR.

In determining for the purposes of this response whether the lawfulness principle in Article 5(1)(a) of the UK GDPR would be contravened by the disclosure of information, Article 6(1) of the UK GDPR (lawfulness) is to be read as if the second sub-paragraph (disapplying the legitimate interests gateway in relation to public authorities) were omitted.

The legitimate interests served by the disclosure of the data do not outweigh the individual’s interests and rights. Namely, the risk of identification. Disclosure would be unlawful and would therefore contravene principle (a). For this reason, some of the data will not be disclosed.

We are releasing numbers of appointments delivered by Scotland’s Migration Service advisers, with a breakdown of nationalities of service users, where the figures are ten or more. Please also note that some individuals may have attended more than one appointment. Nationalities of individuals where the figure is below ten have been redacted due to the risk that disclosure of the data may lead individuals to be identified by the triangulation of the data with other publicly available information.

We are, however, disclosing the list of nationalities within this group, without specifying how many individuals have been supported per nationality.

Section 38(1)(b) is subject to the public interest test. Taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, in this case, we find that the legitimate interest of the requester does not outweigh the interests of the data subjects, and there is a greater public interest in protecting against disclosure of personal information of third parties which poses a risk to identification.

Please find a table containing available data below, which relates to available data between 27 March 2024 and 30 April 2025.

Nationality	Number of Appointments
Nigeria	97
United Kingdom	78
United States of America	72
India	56
Pakistan	19
Canada	17
Ukraine	15
Ghana	10
Dual Citizenship	11
No Country Recorded	8
Poland	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Egypt	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
South Africa	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Philippines	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
China	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
France	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Italy	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Germany	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Mexico	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Zimbabwe	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Spain	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Australia	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Iran	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Sri Lanka	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Russia	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Hungary	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Iraq	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Netherlands	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Greece	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Malaysia	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Portugal	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Bangladesh	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Brazil	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Tanzania	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Romania	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Latvia	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Ethiopia	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Trinidad and Tobago	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Morocco	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Austria	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Turkey	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Hong Kong	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
United Arab Emirates	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Taiwan	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Colombia	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Jordan	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Bulgaria	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Switzerland	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Czech Republic	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Thailand	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Nepal	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Vietnam	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Republic of Ireland	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Albania	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Afghanistan	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Indonesia	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Uruguay	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Finland	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Slovakia	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Ecuador	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Qatar	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Sweden	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Denmark	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Malawi	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Malta	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Sierra Leone	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
New Zealand	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Norway	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Argentina	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Sweden	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
Algeria	[redacted - section 38(1)(b)]
	Total: 549

2. How much has it cost so far, with breakdown of costs?

Response:

During the 23/24 financial year, the design and delivery of Scotland’s Migration Service cost £260,000.

During the 24/25 financial year, the design and delivery of Scotland’s Migration Service cost £870,000.

For the 25/26 financial year, operational spend will be dependent on demand. There are likely to be further costs but this spend is not yet confirmed. All spend will be within the funding envelope which has been approved by the Scottish Parliament.

Budget provision in subsequent years will be approved through the normal routes and confirmed as part of the budget process.

3. Could you supply all analysis undertaken by or for the Scottish Government about increasing immigration into Scotland, and any briefings and minutes/notes from meetings about this, and correspondence sent and received, from the last three months?

Response:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. This is because matters relating to immigration are reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government has no control over the operation of the immigration system, which is dealt with by the Home Office and they do not generally share information with us. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

5. Could you supply all documentation held by the Scottish Government, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), minutes/notes from meetings, briefings, analysis, about bespoke immigration measures for Scotland, including about a Scottish visa, from the last three months?

Response:

For the purpose of responding to this FOI request, we have considered ‘bespoke immigration measures’ to include information relating to the Scottish Rural Visa Pilot Scheme, Graduate Visa and material relating to a Scottish Visa, more broadly.

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested.

Please note that the following exemptions have been applied:

Section 38(1)(b) – personal data

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, i.e. names of officials and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exemption is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

Section 27(1) – information intended for future publication

An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because it forms part of a Freedom of Information request (case number: 202500456818), whereby the information is set to be published within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release a duplication of previously requested information.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because the information forms part of an existing FOI request, and this will be met by our planned publication. However, we see no public interest in collating and publishing the same information in the form of two separate FOI releases.

Section 28(1) – Relations with the UK

An exemption under section 28(1) of FOISA (relations within the UK) applies to some of the information requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially relations between the Scottish Government and the UK Government. It is essential for the effective administration of the UK as a whole that there should be regular, and often private, communications between the Scottish Government, the UK Government and the other devolved administrations. The release of these communications about tailored migration solutions will mean that the UK Government is likely to be more reluctant to share such information with the Scottish Government in future, which would reduce both the frequency and openness of communications between the Scottish Government and other UK administrations.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in maintaining good relations between the Scottish Government and the UK Government, and in protecting the free exchange of information between the administrations to ensure that we keep each other fully and regularly informed about matters of mutual interest, such as immigration policy. There is no public interest in disclosing information when that will damage relationships and disrupt future communications.

Section 30(b)(i) – free and frank provision of advice

An exemption under section 30(b)(i) of FOISA (free and frank provision of advice) applies to some of the information requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice. This exemption recognises the need for officials to have a private space within which to provide free and frank advice to Ministers before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view. Disclosing the content of free and frank advice on developing and engaging on tailored immigration proposals for Scotland will substantially inhibit the provision of such advice in the future, particularly because engagement on tailored migration remains ongoing and relates to a sensitive or controversial issue such as the future development of UK immigration policy.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing a private space within which officials can provide full and frank advice to Ministers, as part of the process of exploring and refining the Government’s policy position on Scotland’s response to UK immigration policy, until the Government as a whole can adopt a policy that is sound and likely to be effective. This private thinking space is essential to enable all options to be properly considered, based on the best available advice, so that good policy decisions can be taken. Premature disclosure is likely to undermine the full and frank discussion of issues between Ministers and officials, which in turn will undermine the quality of the policy making process, which would not be in the public interest.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202500462525- Information released - Annex A

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