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The rate of permanent appointments to jobs in Scotland has fallen for the first time in three months, according to new research.

The IHS Markit report also indicates that salary rises are slowing.

And it found the use of temporary staff, as measured by temp billings, had its sharpest drop since May 2009.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) said the findings were in contrast to the UK's "thriving'" jobs market.

The research - which covered the month of October - identified an increase in demand for healthcare staff and for workers in the engineering and construction sectors.

But lower demand was recorded for secretarial and clerical workers, as well as for temporary recruits to executive and professional positions.

REC chief executive Kevin Green said: "Despite ongoing uncertainty in London and Scotland especially, the UK jobs market is thriving again in most areas of the UK."

Mr Green said employers were worried about being unable to recruit the right candidates for jobs.

He added: "The (UK) government urgently needs to outline a strategy to address employability skills within UK education and promote apprenticeships and other routes into work.

"We also need immigration policies that reflect immediate labour market needs. Imposing new restrictions on people coming from abroad to fill vacancies will impact businesses' ability to meet demand as well as the delivery of public services.

"We need Britain to remain open for business."