London Mayor Sadiq Khan is repeating his call for the UK to remain a part of the EU Single Market and Customs Union as new data demonstrates the UK capital's continued appeal as a magnet for international tech talent.
Analysis of LinkedIn’s members based in the EU reveals that London is the number one city for European tech talent moving for work, with the capital welcoming more EU tech workers than any other European city last year. London was also the most attractive European destination for international tech talent from outside of the EU in 2017.
Joshua Graff, head of LinkedIn UK says: “Since the Brexit result we’ve regularly analysed our data to help companies understand how it may impact their business as it relates to talent. It's clear that within the technology sector, London remains an incredibly attractive place for people to further their careers, develop new skills and find employment. We continue to encourage businesses to speak-up about why it's so important for companies to continue being able to seamlessly access skilled professionals from around the world. It's this diversity that helps British businesses thrive.”
Separate research by global developer community Stack Overflow shows that London is home to more software developers than any other European city, with over 250,000 workers across the capital. Based on fresh analysis of Stack Overflow’s 50 million monthly users, London is the top European hub for professional developers, followed by Paris, Madrid and Berlin.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, says: “It’s vital that London’s tech businesses continue to have unrestricted access to the best tech talent from Europe and the rest of the world. The best way to do this is for London and the UK to remain part of the Single Market and Customs Union, and I will continue to lobby the Government on this in order to protect our status as a global tech hub, while also investing in homegrown talent to ensure that young Londoners share in the benefits of digital growth.”
The global appeal of London’s tech hub was further boosted by the news that 2017 was a record year for venture capital investment into the city’s tech businesses. In the capital's vibrant fintech sector, venture capital investment more than doubled in 2017 to reach $1.8 billion, with 54% of the total coming from overseas VCs.