A UK Government minister has rubbished fears raised by Scottish industries over workforce pressures caused by the end of free movement rules from EU countries.

Home Office minister Kevin Foster hit back at Scottish Government claims that hospitality, agriculture and social care sectors are facing soaring vacancies due to a lack of EU workers being able to take up positions.

With free movement rules ending earlier this year, the UK Government has rolled out a points-based immigration system – amid concerns raised by the SNP that Scotland’s workforce will come under increased pressure.

Mr Foster accused the Scottish Government of wanting to “judge people based on whether they come from Europe or Africa”, pointing to the points-based system he claimed “allows many more jobs” to be recruited “on a global basis”.

The minister was speaking on a visit north of the border where he announced that 291,200 applications from Scotland have been received for the EU Settlement Scheme – with 1,500 staff drafted in to deal with a backlog in cases being determined after the June 30 deadline.

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He added that almost 6,000 European nationals living in the UK have not had their claim for settled status resolved within a year due to a "backlog in the courts".

Scottish Government analysis warns that “lower migration will be particularly harmful to sectors that rely on migrant workers” – pointing to agriculture, social care and textiles industries.

Research conducted by the Scottish Government’s expert advisory group on migration and population has estimated a reduction in net EU migration to Scotland of between 50% and 80% as a consequence of ending free movement from EU countries.

The analysis found a decline in interest from EU workers “is likely to be a consequence of the ending of freedom of movement for EU citizens rather than the pandemic”.

The SNP’s External Affairs Secretary, Angus Robertson, has claimed Scotland is “enduring an ever-lengthening catalogue of harms”.

Mr Foster refused to recognise a shortage of workers in Scotland’s hospitality sector, blamed on the ending of freedom of movement .

Instead, Mr Foster said Scottish employers should “focus on the domestic market” and not point the finger at a lack of EU workers.

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UK Hospitality has warned Brexit is contributing to up to 188,000 vacancies not being filled.

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK Hospitality, has urged ministers to “review its list of shortage occupations and consider the introduction of an Australian-style visa scheme to enable the workers we need, who don’t meet the point-based system" to take up jobs.

But Mr Foster said he was “surprised that the first port of call for filling vacancies should be immigration”.

He added: “The points-based system allows many more jobs that are in those sectors to be recruited on a global basis.

“In exchange, what we are saying to employers is that the first port of call should be investing in developing the domestic workforce and offering rewarding packages.

“Ultimately low pay and poor terms and conditions are the core reason why some areas can’t recruit. We can’t have a migration system that’s based on facilitating guaranteed recruitment at the minimum wage – it's about providing access to skills that are more difficult to train for.

“When it comes to more general recruitment, without a particular work-based training requirement, we think it’s right that we do say that employers should, in the first instance, focus on the domestic market, including those who need to look for work in new sectors following the impact of the pandemic.”

Mr Foster said Scottish firms can still hire those that are offered settled status under the UK Government scheme.

He added: “We will of course monitor the labour market in the future, but unlike the Scottish Government, we’re not going to judge people based on whether they come from Europe or whether they come from Africa as to whether they should be eligible to our migration system.”

Mr Forster pointed to the SNP’s ambition for Scotland to rejoin the EU as an independent nation – labelling it a “pretty depressing vision”.

He suggested Nicola Sturgeon’s party wants to “create an immigration system where the key selling point of living in Scotland” is that “you can go and live elsewhere”.

He added: “If they want Scotland to join Schengen, that does mean a hard border, it means building a great wall of Gretna.”

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An SNP spokesman said: “People in Scotland are fed up with Tory ministers coming here on day trips spouting nonsense as part of their anti-democratic campaign to tighten Westminster control over Scotland.

“Just like Ireland, people in an independent Scotland as part of the EU would have the huge advantage of being able to move freely across the British Isles as well as the EU – instead of being subject to Boris Johnson’s disastrous hard Brexit.

“It is the Tories with their anti-European obsession who are building borders. As an independent EU member, Scotland would be in the world’s biggest single market – which is seven times the size of the UK – offering massive economic opportunity.”