MIGRANTS would find it easier to live and work in Scotland after independence with conditions for entry lowered, according to the White Paper.

A Green Card-style points-based immigration system would attract skilled workers from overseas, according to the Scottish Government's document, while Scotland would remain part of Common Travel Area that exists between the UK, Channel Islands and Republic of Ireland.

As well as a proposed separate asylum agency, the White Paper proposes the closure of Dungavel detention centre, an end to dawn raids and granting people seeking asylum access to the mainstream welfare system.

But the promise of a separate immigration policy led to the possibility of border controls being raised amid claims Scotland would become a "soft point of entry", with immigrants seeking entry to England and Wales.

According to the paper, ­financial maintenance thresholds and minimum salary levels for entry would be lowered to better align with Scottish averages. It comes against a backdrop of long-running Scottish Government complaints that the British system strongly focuses on reducing the number of migrants.

The document states: "This will open up greater opportunities for key skilled individuals from overseas who could play important roles in our society and economy and fill vital vacancies in individual businesses.

"The latest population ­projections suggest Scotland's workforce will not grow as rapidly as the UK as a whole.

"Scotland's population needs are therefore different to the rest of the UK and Scotland has a clear economic rationale for growing our population - in particular our working-age population."

It adds: "An essential part of this social union, and one that will be fully maintained with independence, is the free movement of nationals between Scotland and the rest of the UK and Ireland.

"There are no circumstances in which the Scottish Government would countenance any measure being taken that jeopardised the ability of citizens across the rest of the UK and Ireland to move freely across our borders as they are presently able to do."

Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: "If a separate Scotland has a different immigration policy to the rest of the UK ... there is no way the SNP can guarantee no border controls.

"In a scenario where the UK Government takes a tougher stance on the issue, there is every chance checkpoints could be placed along the border. The rest of the UK could not afford for Scotland to be a soft point of entry."

John Wilkes, chief executive of Scottish Refugee Council, said: "Like previous Scottish Governments this one has stated a continuing commitment to the principle of the integration of people seeking asylum from the day of arrival in Scotland.

"This is distinct from the UK Government's current position for England, which claims integration starts only when a person fleeing persecution is recognised as a refugee."