Pro-EU protest in Glasgow in 2016. Scotland’s population is ageing faster than the rest of the UK and

Unison, Scotland’s biggest public sector trade union, is calling for immigration policy to be devolved amid warnings that the country could face a population crisis after Brexit.

The union says Scotland’s population and tax base would have shrunk in recent years without the presence of European workers and claims that Holyrood should be given scope to target foreign labour to boost the economy after Britain leaves the EU.

“Scotland’s population is ageing faster than the rest of the UK and this means we need a different approach to immigration,” said Dave Watson, head of policy and public affairs in Scotland. He added: “That’s why Unison Scotland has argued for devolved powers over immigration on the Quebec model of regional visas.

“It has been argued that