London remains top city for migrating tech talent

Despite Brexit, the UK capital is still a popular destination for technology workers

Mayor of London-led agency London & Partners analysed data from LinkedIn and Stack Overflow which revealed that London is the most often chosen destination for tech professionals who want to live and work outside their home country.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said one of the contributing factors to this could be the number of global companies that have large offices in the capital. In 2017, Google said it would build a new London base for 7,000 employees, Amazon announced plans to double its London research and development staff, this year, Facebook will create 800 jobs at a new London office.

Khan said: “London is the tech capital of Europe and home to some of the best tech and creative minds from across the world. Global tech companies such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google continue to invest in London because of our city’s diverse international tech workforce, and our startup ecosystem is vibrant and innovative.”

The number of IT workers coming to work in the UK from abroad has increased in each year of the last five years, and these workers are vital for filling skills shortages in the UK.

Khan added: “It is vital that London’s tech businesses continue to have unrestricted access to the best tech talent from Europe and the rest of the world. The best way to do this is for London and the UK to remain part of the Single Market and the Customs Union, and I will continue to lobby the government on this in order to protect our status as a global tech hub, while also investing in home-grown talent to ensure young Londoners share in the benefits of digital growth.”

Russ Shaw, founder of Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates, said London is still a prime location for technology talent because of its opportunities for growth, as well as its “diverse business landscape”.

He said: “Top talent is the lifeblood of a thriving tech ecosystem, and it is through access to tech professionals from around the world that London has been able to carve out its unique place in the global tech mosaic – despite lingering Brexit woes. As Brexit negotiations continue and questions over the future of UK immigration remain, the government must ensure that the influx of top tech talent from both Europe and more broadly remains on its current trajectory.”

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