Tech Sector

Our specialist team of employment and immigration solicitors and HR and global mobility consultants work with tech companies of all sizes, delivering strategic consultancy and managed services in support of their workforce planning, management and development efforts.

Tech sector expertise

As employer solutions lawyers, we help ensure our clients’ HR, immigration and global mobility programmes are both fully compliant with their legal obligations and effective in supporting the organisation’s people-led business objectives.

We have extensive experience within the UK tech sector and are fully immersed in the organisational, talent, human resource and mobility challenges facing business leaders and HR in this industry. ​

Employer solutions for UK tech

We help tech sector employers:

  • Mobilise highly skilled, specialist talent across the globe
  • Streamline people processes across the employee lifecycle
  • Manage emergency visa applications
  • Improve the recruitment and retention of high-calibre staff
  • Develop progressive reward and bonus schemes
  • Meet employment, immigration compliance and right to work obligations
  • Enhance internal support functions through training and professional development programmes
 

Talent mobility & management challenges in UK tech

The UK’s burgeoning tech sector, a beacon of innovation and economic growth, faces a significant hurdle: talent acquisition. While homegrown talent is undoubtedly crucial, the sector heavily relies on skilled workers from abroad. 

The UK tech sector is booming. In 2022, it contributed over £180 billion to the economy and employed nearly 5 million people. This rapid growth, however, has outpaced the domestic talent pool, particularly in specialised fields like AI, cybersecurity and blockchain development.

To bridge this gap, UK tech companies have long turned to international talent. In 2022, over 54,000 tech workers migrated to the UK, accounting for 5% of all Skilled Worker visas issued.

These skilled professionals bring diverse expertise and perspectives, fostering innovation and driving the sector’s success.

However, recent changes to UK immigration policy have created certain obstacles for tech companies seeking to recruit and retain international talent. Some key concerns include the increasing minimum salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas, making it harder for smaller tech startups and niche roles to attract talent. Additionally, the visa application process has become more complex and bureaucratic, adding to the time and cost burden for both employers and employees.

In addition, the SOL, which lists professions facing skills shortages in the UK, does not adequately reflect the needs of the tech sector. Many critical tech roles are not included, limiting the pool of eligible candidates.

These immigration challenges have the potential to stifle the UK’s tech sector in several ways. Talented tech professionals may choose to work in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, such as Canada or Germany, leading to a brain drain and loss of valuable skills and knowledge.

The UK’s reputation as a welcoming and open hub for tech talent could be tarnished by restrictive immigration policies, making it harder to attract and retain top talent in the future.

Diminishing access to a global talent pool, UK tech companies may struggle to compete with their international counterparts, hindering innovation and economic growth.

Expert advice has become critical to ensure tech employers navigate the complex visa rules effectively in support of their talent needs. 

 

UK immigration services for tech companies

Our team of leading UK immigration solicitors help tech companies with all aspects of their UK immigration needs.

Through our strategic advice and managed migration services, we operate in support of inhouse HR teams or on a fully outsourced basis to ensure you operate competitively and in full compliance when employing overseas workers. Clients benefit from access to our immigration solicitors via a dedicated telephone support line, available weekdays from 8.30am – 6.00pm.

 

 

Employment law services for tech companies

Our employment lawyers works with employers of all sizes to provide ongoing employment law advice, representation and strategic risk management guidance.

We offer specialist, fixed fee employment law services including access to unlimited telephone advice.

 

HR support for tech companies

Our team of highly experienced HR consultants support tech sector employers to improve the performance of their HR function and enhance the overall impact of HR projects.

We combine deep industry knowledge with technical expertise to help employers in the tech sector drive commercial performance through a transformative approach to human resource planning, management and development.

 

Global mobility services for tech companies

We help ensure our tech sector clients’ global mobility programmes are both fully compliant with immigration requirements and effective in supporting commercial operations. We understand the challenges involved in managing a global workforce and provide expert guidance to help reduce risk while deriving maximum value and return from mobility programmes.

 
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