Scotland best for UK visa holders- Study

United Kingdom, 5th May: According to recent study by Aberdeen University, those immigrating to the UK or having UK work visas consider Scotland to be the best place to live.

Although, the study has for its focus the common notions about Scotland held by various Buddhist immigrants, however, the study findings can be applicable to immigrants from different nations.

William Tuladhar-Douglas, an anthropologist and the lead author of the study stated that during many interviews held with a large number of people immigrating to the UK, it was found that the UK is quite unwelcoming in few areas. But, Tuladhar-Douglas said that immigrants hailing from Buddhist societies and seeking immigration to Scotland find its landscape quite welcoming. 

As per the 2001 census, there were nearly 6,800 Buddhist immigrants in Scotland. Although, their number was less than 1 percent of the total population of Scotland, however, Buddhist immigrants were the largest single group after the different Islamic and Christian immigrant groups in Scotland.

According to Tuladhar-Douglas who is a lecturer at Aberdeen University’s anthropology of environment and religion department, said he is quite hopeful that his study will give a new direction to the national debate on immigration.

Since, UK immigration has gained an important status as an issue in the forthcoming general elections, hence, it becomes all the more relevant to see whether or not Scottish voters have a different view about immigration than the views held by voters in the rest of the UK.

Tuladhar-Douglas clarified that during the interviews held with a large number of legal immigrants having right to live and work in the UK, there was a common fear regarding raids by UK immigration department and anti-immigrant rhetoric quite common among British voters. 

The research has received support from the Royal Society of Edinburgh Arts and funded by the Scottish Government, the Tung Lin Kok Yuen Trust at Toronto University, and the Scottish Center for Himalayan Research at Aberdeen University.

Findings of the study are likely to be presented on May 15 at the Tung Lin Kok Yuen Conference- Buddhism and Diaspora, Toronto University, Scarborough (Canada)