London tech firms to spur massive increase in skilled immigration

Propelled by changes in the UK immigration laws, skilled IT and tech workers are expected to flock to London over the next 10 years.

The UK’s harsh immigration laws are expected to be loosened to give technology companies based in the Greater London region more freedom to bring in migrants with exceptional talents in the highly specialised field, according to a recent study. Around 45,000 jobs are expected to be created, growing the size of the present workforce by over 30 per cent and adding around £12 billion to the economy.

Over the last few years, the numbers employed in the tech sector based in London, the Southeast and Eastern England has increased by over 11 per cent. The study revealed that the capital is now a world leader in financial technology, developing ahead of and employing more workers than New York City or California’s Silicon Valley.

In 2013, the British capital employed close on 400,000 workers in its wider information and technology sector, with advances in the field expected to boost its success still further. The upcoming London Technology Week will draw over 30,000 investors, business leaders and tech entrepreneurs from across the world, and will act as a spur to the sector’s development over the coming decade.