A year marked by economic difficulty is drawing to a close with a more positive outlook for 2024. Inflation is down and there are strong signs of economic recovery. However, one recent policy decision has cast uncertainty on the UK’s ability to attract the talent needed to sustain this recovery – the government’s latest immigration announcement.
The UK tech sector remains the third largest worldwide, with advances in quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors offering more opportunities to cement this position.
But the immigration changes announced earlier this month are concerning – not least because of the gaping domestic skill shortage, and a danger that this will damage the UK’s ability to cope with the ever-developing technological landscape.
International students can be the tech solution
Almost a quarter of the student population at UK universities are international students. Tuition fees for overseas students can be between £11,400 to £38,000 per year, which make up a significant portion of the funding for some of the world-leading universities here....