Immigration: impact of Brexit and Covid-19

The impact of Brexit and Covid-19 on the lives of British citizens working in the European Union, and EU citizens working in the UK is explored in a research project involving The OU in Scotland.   

Carol Howells, Dr Hilary Collins and Dr Francesca Calo of the OU are principle investigators of 'Perceptions of European workers in the UK and British workers in Europe during Covid-19 at the time of Brexit'.

They have been examining whether Scotland’s immigration policy should be matched to nation assets, needs and opportunities, and how this fits with the current UK approach to immigration. 

The project assumes that post Covid-19 and Brexit, Scotland needs to be seen as an attractive place to want to live, to grow businesses and aid economic recovery, to contribute to teaching and research in universities, to join public services and to make a valuable contribution to Scottish civil society. 

A policy brief, aiming to drive change, is a key project output. To encourage dialogue and debate to inform policy, a webinar was held in June 2021, attracting an audience of 50 Scottish policymakers, third sector organisations, trade unions, business organisations and change agents.    
 
Chaired by Simon Lee, Professor of Law at the Open University, evidence drawn from their research project was presented, along with two other projects the OU has partnerships with: the SIRIUS project (Skills and Integration of Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Applicants in European Labour Markets; University of Parma and Glasgow Caledonian University) and the GLIMER project (Governance and the Local Integration of Migrants and Europe's Refugees; Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities).  
 
The audience was able to engage with experts in the field, learn about the latest research and contribute to a collective understanding of the diverse ways in which migrants can add value to Scotland. 

Interest in the event demonstrated the desire to build a new approach to migration and employment, unleashing the potential of migrants in Scotland to enrich its society and economy. 
 
Policy brief and webinar: more information and a recording