Pressure is mounting on the UK Government to issue a last-ditch reprieve to an Australian family facing deportation from the Highlands.
SNP politicians have called on the Home Office to “see sense” and grant a stay of execution for the Brain family after father Gregg secured a job in Elgin.
His wife Kathyrn Brain had already been offered a role at the GlenWyvis Distillery – but neither are able to take up the positions because their right to work in the UK has been removed.
The family, who first moved to the Highlands on a post-study work visa, has been battling deportation since the UK Government revoked the scheme.
They have attempted to apply for a Tier 2 visa, designed for people from outside the European Economic Area who have been offered a skilled job in the UK.
Mr and Mrs Brain, who have a seven-year-old Gaelic-speaking son, Lachlan, had faced the prospect of having to leave the country last week – but Immigration Minister James Brokenshire confirmed they faced “no imminent risk” of “immediate” removal from the UK.
SNP MP Ian Blackford and fellow Highland MSP Kate Forbes have urged Westminster officials to think again now that Mr Brain has been offered a job.
Ms Forbes said: “The case of the Brain family has shown how ridiculous the UK Government’s approach is to migration.
“Despite a political consensus in Scotland in favour of the post-study work visa, and the personal intervention of the first minister in this case, the Tories seem determined to deport a young family who only want to get on with their lives.
“With both Gregg and Kathryn now offered jobs, the Home Office must see sense and allow them to continue to live and work in Scotland.
“And the Tories have wider questions to answer as to why the Scottish Government have their hands tied in attracting skilled workers.”
Mr Blackford added: “The Brain family have suffered a breach of trust at the hands of the UK government and I implore the Home Office to move quickly and give back to this young family the right to work and live in their home in the Highlands.”
Speaking in the debate last week, Mr Brokenshire said the government announced it was closing the post-study work scheme in March 2011, while the Brain family arrived in the UK in June of that year.
The minister added they had known “for at least five years what the requirements would be – the need to get a graduate level job”.
