Scotland says it welcomes migrants, but it's a different story when we try to get a job

For three months, I worked on this documentary, talking to multiple people and analysing data, trying to understand the challenges this group has in finding a job related to their degree in a country that appeared to be open to migrants and people from different ethnicities, at least those who have advanced education. During my research, I wasn’t able to find any organisation willing to be interviewed to get a company's point of view on the topic. That should have given me a clue about the reality.

What I didn’t realise is that, as I was embarking on the job-search journey myself, I would indeed have the same significant issues in finding a job in this country despite my two qualifications and extensive experience in both law and journalism. It’s been over a year since I graduated with my Master’s and I’m still looking for a full-time job, although I feel fortunate I’ve been able to find some work as a freelance so I can do what I love.

Visa questions

However, having applied for more than 450 jobs – landing about 15 interviews and no job offers, despite my qualification from a UK university – it makes me wonder if this country is really open to migrants who don’t fit their Western European criteria.

From a first look, anyone would think that maybe I really am not qualified for these jobs. However, from some of the feedback I’ve received, which is often obscure, I cannot help but get the worrying feeling that the underlying problem is not me but a reflection of an issue in wider society.

At the beginning of the year, I took part in three rounds of interviews for a job in this big international organisation to specifically report on the law – I have a degree in law and a degree in journalism from the UK, and along with this, I fit every criterion they were asking for, including an extensive contact book.

In the first round, they asked me about my visa and I told them I could work in the UK with a graduate visa until 2026. In the following steps and in the middle of my vacation in Brazil, I had one more interview and one task, in which I proved myself. Two weeks later, I received a phone call from the recruiter asking me about my visa yet again. It was almost setting me up to be disappointed.

But the rejection is always disguised as something else, to avoid having to admit that it is my migration status that is the cause. Unfortunately, there are more personal examples, being restricted from jobs due to my visa, my accent, me being new to this country… when will I be enough?

A European name

I learned a lot from the people I interviewed in my documentary. How companies will judge you by your name (I tried to keep my dad’s last name, Tagliati, so it would be more appealing, more European!), the structure of your CV, and how they will ignore all of your experience overseas, even if it is more advanced than the equivalent in the UK. I tried applying all of this, but it hasn’t worked so far.

And I know I’m not alone in this boat. This is happening to many migrants up and down the UK.

The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford found that “foreign-born” migrants have faced discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality and language. Nineteen per cent have reported feeling unsafe, 15 per cent have been insulted and 10 per cent have avoided certain places.

Given this context, it is very likely that some of these experiences have happened in the workplace or when seeking work. Further research by the Migration Observatory tells us that regardless of place of birth, across the board, ethnic minorities experience discrimination in the labour market. This is a reality that is not properly discussed.

Instead, we talk about migrants as replaceable and unimportant. The truth is that many sectors, such as retail, health and social care are dependent on migrant workers.

Scotland putting on an act?

The anti-immigration propaganda of the UK Government is clear and many times the media follows the agenda, which influences a big part of the population. I have thought Scotland was different, buying into the PR that it was friendlier and more accepting, but is it?

I have spoken to many migrants here and they say the same thing. They took years to land a job in their field and had challenges that are very clearly linked to discrimination. The friendly and welcoming attitude in Scotland almost seems like an act when it comes to inclusion in workspaces.

Coming from such a warm country (in both senses), it makes me so angry to even think of the number of qualified people who are being denied opportunities because of their names, nationalities, and race. I could never have imagined any of this happening in a first-world country, especially one that labels itself as friendly and welcoming to all.

Maybe this needs to be spoken about more and people and organisations in Scotland need to realise there is a problem and do the hard work required to ensure inclusion based on merit – rather than just engaging in rhetoric – so that Scotland is open to all, as it says it is, and not just when it’s convenient.

Ana Tagliati, originally from Brazil, is a former lawyer turned journalist and podcast producer with a Master’s degree in journalism from Edinburgh Napier University