UK tech visas quadruple after applications soar

Technology industry demands for special measures to let companies hire foreign workers after Brexit have been boosted by a surge in demand for technology visas.

Tech City UK, the government organisation that processes applications for the dedicated “Tier 1 Exceptional Talent” visa, said successful applications had more than quadrupled in the last 12 months, with 260 endorsed in the last fiscal year.

It follows fears in the British tech community that access to skilled computer coders would be hit by restrictions to freedom of movement when the UK leaves the EU.

David Cameron introduced the tech visa scheme in 2014 in a bid to make London the technology capital of Europe and rival Silicon Valley as a destination for start-ups, and amid fears of a shortage of skilled coders in the UK.

The “Tech Nation” visa scheme allows Tech City UK to endorse applications from non-EU workers, and lets successful applicants stay in the country for five years, after which they can apply to settle.

Just a handful of visas were granted in its first few months, due to what were seen as onerous requirements, and the rules were relaxed in 2015. Applications have soared since then, and rose again after the Brexit vote.

In the Home Office year, which runs to April 6, Tech City UK received 380 applications compared to 100 in the previous year. The 260 granted exceeded its annual cap of 200, but extra visas were allocated from other bodies that had not used up theirs.

Theresa May has told the technology industry to expect more visas to be set aside if she wins next week’s election, despite its aim to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands.

The Conservative manifesto said a Tory government would ask the independent Migration Advisory Committee to align the visa system with its industrial strategy.

“We envisage that the committee’s advice will allow us to set aside significant numbers of visas for workers in strategically-important sectors, such as digital technology,” it said.

Technology start-ups rely more on overseas workers than the economy as a whole, and Brexit had led to claims that many will be forced to set up overseas. Since the vote, however, there have been few departures, and venture capital funding to the industry has remained stable.