A no-deal Brexit spells uncertainty for EU citizens living and working in the UK, and UK residents living in other countries across Europe.
This is what will happen if the UK leaves the EU without a deal Around 8 per cent of workers in the UK’s tech sector hail from the EU and the restrictions imposed by the Tier 2 visa cap (which restricts the number of skilled workers applying for work in the country to 20,700 annually) prevents tech firms from recruiting new employees from outside the EU.
The pipeline of UK tech talent is unlikely to meet demand, experts have warned. “Without the scope for compromise and the added Tier 2 visa cap restricting talent based on salary as oppose to skill set, emigration from the UK will continue, resulting in a shortfall of talent acquisition and potential risk to the future innovation of UK and global technology sectors, on whom this society relies so heavily,” says Karen Kaur, immigration specialist at immigration law firm Migrate UK. “The UK and global technology industry is already in the grips of a major skills shortage. Foreign skilled IT workers whether from the EU, working in the UK or UK workers in the EU, feel uncertain over their future, causing a large proportion to return home or to work elsewhere.”
Hard Brexit could also lead to fewer new technology jobs across the UK, research commissioned by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s office found in January. Even in the event of a two-year transition deal (following which the UK stayed in the European single market and customs union), there would be 36,000 fewer tech and science jobs in the UK, over 5,000 of which would be in London, it found.
The good news is that salary thresholds for companies seeking Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship to hire a skilled worker from outside the EU have calmed down. Following Nurse and Doctors being removed from the 20,700 annual Visa limit the threshold has now fallen to usual levels of £30,000.
Of course skilled IT roles in Development & Architecture will fetch in excess of £50-60K per year and companies must consider niche talent from beyond the EU.
Clients may have relatively short projects 12-24 months and therefore not wish to go to the hassle of employing and sponsoring niche talent. IT Consultancies can take care of this and deliver the requirements under a managed service agreement. Consultancy rates can be very favourable often the same as a Ltd company contractor or less!!
For more information do contact consult@mavisas.co.uk
Thanks for reading
Mason