An Australian family waging a long and high-profile fight against deportation from Scotland has been granted leave to stay after meeting British visa requirements with a new job offer.
The predicament of Kathryn and Gregg Brain and their son Lachlan had highlighted differing British perspectives on immigration north and south of the border in the lead-up to the vote to leave the European Union earlier this year.
Kathryn Brain has now been offered a job at a hotel group which meets visa conditions, the interior ministry said yesterday.
The family had moved from Brisbane to Scotland in 2011 on Kathryn Brains temporary student visa.
At that time, the visa allowed her to seek work afterwards as part of a government-backed scheme to help shore up an ageing and shrinking population in the Scottish Highlands.
But the scheme was subsequently scrapped, leaving the Brains in limbo and facing deportation.
The family’s cause was championed by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who met them in May and spoke of welcoming immigrants as a boost to skills in Scotland’s workforce.
In many parts of the rest of the UK, the idea of unfettered immigration has become unpopular and the issue was at the centre of Britain’s June vote to leave the European Union.
The lawmaker for the Brains constituency said the decision to allow the Brains to stay after months of uncertainty was welcome.
“We in the Highlands and indeed throughout Scotland need and want people like the Brains to contribute to our growth and prosperity..,” Ian Blackford said in a statement.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Kathryn said: “I just can’t describe how I feel. It’s just been seven months now we’ve been without work and struggling and fighting through this whole process.”
Kathryn Brain has been offered work as a museum curator and historian with Macdonald Hotels.
Macdonald Highland Resort chief executive Simon Farr said: “Aviemore is our flagship resort and we are excited about the forthcoming celebrations of its 50th anniversary.
“We are keen to do it justice and Kathryn Brain’s background in Scottish history is one of several attributes which led us to appoint her to the role of visitor centre museum curator.
“We are pleased that this could help enable her and her family to remain in Scotland.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We have always been clear with the Brain family that if a suitable job offer was received an application to remain in the UK would be considered.
“We gave them a number of extensions on an exceptional basis to allow them to try to secure a job that would allow them to meet the immigration rules.
“Kathryn Brain was subsequently offered a job with a hotel group. This has been considered and we are satisfied that it meets the conditions for a Tier 2 visa. We have written to Kathryn Brain and confirmed that she and her family have been granted leave to remain in the UK.”
Speaking after confirmation came through they could stay, Gregg Brain said: “We’ve had extraordinary support from our church community and the community here in the Highlands.”