Fewer tech workers now see the UK as first choice for relocation after Bresit

A new report shows that many international tech workers no longer see the U.K. as a top choice. Only six percent of those surveyed listed the U.K. as a top choice for relocation due to concerns over Brexit the report claims.

The report was carried out by the international recruiter Hired, focussing on tech workers within the U.S. tech industry. A majority of the respondents claimed that Brexit had dissuaded them from considering the U.K. as a prime place to relocate. They saw Brexit as making the U.K. a less desirable place to live.

Canada was the top choice for relocation outside the U.S. The most favorable EU destination was Germany, which was preferred to France or the Netherlands. However, globally workers are tempted to relocate to China as it offers advantages to other countries and is spending large sums to become the leader in AI as discussed in a recent Digital Journal article. Technode also claims in a recent article that China could dominate in AI in 2017.

The report suggests that the U.S. tech industry is feeling threatened by President Donald Trump's immigration policies. He has claimed that he wants to cut legal immigration by half within ten years. The number of green cards for extended family members would be reduced, and the system would be based more upon merit and skills than family ties. Many tech workers would no doubt prefer to relocate to a country that would allow their families to also move. U.S. employers are already struggling to recruit staff as less candidates are applying. The number of US-based companies requesting interviews with foreign workers outside the U.S. has declined 60 percent in comparison with 2016.

While Trump and his supporters want curbs on immigration, a large majority in the U.S. tech industry have positive views about immigration. The U.K. industry agrees with the U.S. view with 84 percent saying that immigration helps innovation. In the UK there is a vigorous debate about immigration. Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservative leader said that PM Theresa May should drop her slogan of slashing immigration below 100,000 if she did not want to risk damaging the U.K. economy. Davidson said that as the U.K. was on the road to full employment growth potential would face greater limitations without being boosted by an influx of immigrants.