Scotland's Care Policy Scorecard

Care holds Scotland together, yet it is often undervalued.
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Policy Area 3C. Migrant Workers

Score: 21%
Performance Bands Very limited progress 0-25% Early-stage development 26-50% Developing policy 51-75% Well-developed or transformative 76-100%

Summary

Migrant workers form an important part of Scotland’s care workforce. They contribute essential skills within a sector facing acute recruitment and retention challenges. Despite this, migrant care workers often experience limited rights, complex visa restrictions and vulnerability in the workplace. UK wide immigration and employment law largely shape their conditions, which restricts Scotland’s ability to improve protections or ensure fair treatment.

Migrant workers may face barriers to reporting exploitation or discrimination due to concerns about immigration status or fear of repercussions, increasing their vulnerability. Budget constraints, fragmented enforcement systems and limited monitoring further undermine protections. While Scotland has introduced measures to prevent trafficking and exploitation, these do not fully address the structural issues facing migrant care workers.

Indicators in this policy area

Indicator 3C.1. Equal rights and protections for migrant care workers

Score: 21% Very limited progress

Migrant workers play a vital role in Scotland’s care workforce but face significant barriers to equal rights and protections. UK immigration rules, employer tied visas and fragmented enforcement systems increase vulnerability to exploitation and limit workers’ ability to speak up. Scotland has some additional protections against trafficking and exploitation, but these do not fully address the structural challenges facing migrant care workers.

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Key challenges

  • Immigration policy and visa conditions are reserved to the UK Government
  • Tying visas to specific employers reduces workers’ ability to report exploitation or change jobs
  • Limited budget for enforcement weakens protection against unlawful treatment
  • Migrant workers employed informally or in insecure roles face heightened vulnerability
  • Fragmented systems make it difficult to coordinate support or track outcomes
  • Lack of disaggregated data undermines understanding of the experiences of migrant women

Key strengths

  • Scotland has legislation that strengthens protections against human trafficking and exploitation
  • Support organisations provide information and assistance to migrant workers
  • Engagement with specialist organisations has informed aspects of Scotland’s approach
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