Safeguarding workers on temporary migration programmes: study

Introduction

This study has been commissioned by the Scottish Government in response to the identification of safeguarding risks for workers on the UK Seasonal Worker Visa (SWV) in horticulture in Scotland (FLEX 2021). Specifically this study seeks to understand options for the Scottish Government to respond to the vulnerability created by temporary migration programmes. This Report considers options for Scotland to establish protection mechanisms for workers in response to this vulnerability. In so doing it looks specifically at an option recently developed in Canada, the Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers (OWPVW). Whilst a similar work permit has been developed in New Zealand, Canada’s asymmetric federal model is comparable with the UK’s asymmetrical devolution, within which the Scottish Parliament has responsibility for its devolved powers. This Report therefore examines Canada’s response to safeguarding risks identified on their employer specific work permits, through the introduction of the OWPVW in 2019. It looks at how it has been implemented, the risks and opportunities, and the potential for transferring this model to Scotland. The Report assesses whether an open work permit could help safeguard workers on temporary migration programmes in Scotland and if so, how it might be implemented.