London has the highest share of non-UK workers in the tech workforce compared to the rest of the UK at 31%

Share of employment (Average 2011-2015) by UK region ¹

London also accounts for a large proportion of all international workers in the UK. Around one fifth of the digital tech industry workforce is based in London – 164,000 workers of the 881,000 workers employed in digital tech industries in the UK (2011-2015 average) ²

London, in particular has a significantly higher EU workforce than other UK regions. EU workers account for 11 per cent of employment in the tech sector compared to, for example, 5 per cent in the East of England and 2 per cent in the West Midlands ³.

Non-EU nationals are a larger percentage still at 20 per cent of digital tech industry employment.

There may be several reasons behind these findings. London is home to a significant proportion of the UK’s digital tech labour market opportunities reflecting competition for talent and a greater need for specialised skills in hotspots of digital tech activity.

The higher share of international employment in London provides evidence that employer demand for tech skills outstrips the supply in the capital with employers as a result using non-UK talent to address skills shortages. Research has also found that London has a well-established tech startup ecosystem ⁴London’s status as a world city with a diverse population and large number of cultural amenities is also likely to influence businesses’ propensity to locate in London ^{5 6}