SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon outlined her vision for a separate Scottish visa system today to address the country’s demographic needs post-Brexit.

The First Minister has published Migration: Helping Scotland Prosper, which floated a number of ways in which the Scottish system could diverge from the rest of Britain.

Under the Scottish government’s preferred model for the scheme, migrants would apply separately to the Scottish government for a visa to live only in Scotland and Holyrood would recommend applicants to the Home Office.

However the plan would require talks with the British government as immigration is a reserved power.

Plans were also revealed for pilot schemes to boost the populations of rural areas.

The First Minister said demographic change after Brexit would hit Scotland harder than the rest of Britain, meaning a bespoke approach was needed to attract talent north of the border.

Ms Sturgeon told the assembled crowd in Edinburgh: “The end of free movement will, in my view, harm the whole of the UK, but it will be uniquely harmful for Scotland.

“It’s likely to weaken our economy, damage the delivery of our public services and make some of our communities less sustainable.”

Ms Sturgeon went on to brand a “one size fits all” immigration system as being “pretty disastrous” for Scotland.

Scottish Labour’s culture spokeswoman Claire Baker said: “Scotland faces particular demographic challenges, and we need a compassionate, fair immigration system that supports our economy, public services and all our people.
 
“Therefore Scottish Labour supports exploring a degree of flexibility within an overarching UK immigration system.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “Immigration will remain a reserved matter.

“The UK government will introduce a points-based immigration system that works in the interests of the whole of the United Kingdom, including Scotland.”