The UK's tech sector has more international workers than any other in the country's economy according to a new report, which could cause problems when Britain exits the EU.
The research, carried out by Tech City UK revealed 13% of the digital sector is made up of both EU (6%) and non-EU (7%) employees compared to the national average of 10%, comprising 6% EU workers and 4% non-EU.
One of the reasons behind the variation is the level of education of those from further afield than Europe. 17.6% of non-EU workers hold a master's or PhD qualification, compared tojust 10.5% of UK workers and 12.5% of EU employees.
Unsurprisingly, Tech City's report showed that London is a magnet for those from outside of the country, with 31% of the digital workforce being made up of EU and non-EU-based staff in the region. The next most popular region, the South East, has the next highest level of non-UK workers, at 12%.
Although non-EU workers outnumber those from Europe, the latter group is the fastest-growing, with the number of EU citiens increasing from 4% to 6% between 2011 and 2015. This has raised concerns the UK digital sector could lose a decent proportion of its tech workforce when it becomes harder for Europeans to work here following Brexit.
"We know that entrepreneurs are concerned about the extent to which tech communities depend on a flow of talent from EU and non-EU countries to run their businesses," George Windsor, senior insights manager at Tech City UK, said.
"By collating an accurate picture of the mix of nationalities in the sector, we can pinpoint where pressures might exist in the future. This is the start of a programme of work from Tech City UK that will monitor the talent and workforce mix, using the insights gained to help more digital tech businesses fulfil their potential."
-
Cleo attack victim list grows as Hertz confirms customer data stolenNews Hertz has confirmed it suffered a data breach as a result of the Cleo zero-day vulnerability in late 2024, with the car rental giant warning that customer data was stolen.
-
Lateral moves in tech: Why leaders should support employee mobilityIn-depth Encouraging staff to switch roles can have long-term benefits for skills in the tech sector
-
Federation of small businesses says tech vouchers needed to survive Brexit transitionNews SMBs need financial support to help them with expertise, new technology, and training, group argues
-
The IT Pro Podcast: Cyber security post-BrexitIT Pro Podcast Changes are on the way - but how will they affect IT security?
-
UK tech investment jumps 44%, despite Brexit uncertaintyNews The country has sprouted eight unicorns in the past year – more than any other European nation
-
Can the UK's tech sector still attract investment after Brexit?In-depth Some sectors may be upping sticks for the continent, but the tone in tech is far more upbeat
-
IT Pro Panel: The truth about talentIT Pro Panel Why is it still so hard to find good people?
-
DCMS gets new boss amid Brexit reshuffleNews Carnage in the cabinet leads to new appointments
-
What Trump's Broadcom/Qualcomm block means for post-Brexit BritainIn-depth Increasing protectionism is likely to hinder UK tech deals, say experts
-
How will Brexit affect the UK tech workforce?In-depth With much of the country's talent coming from the EU, the split could cause skills problems
