The lure of working abroad could further exacerbate the UK’s tech talent shortage after a survey found that 72% of U.K.-based tech-professionals said they would consider an international move if the right opportunity came along.
The Dice U.K. mobility survey found that the United States, Australia and Canada top the list in terms of being the most attractive places to move for new career opportunities, followed by France, Germany, New Zealand and Spain.
And these areas are not alone with the UAE, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Saudi Arabia also generating interest from U.K.-based professionals.
Surprisingly, money isn’t the main motivator for moving with 41% of those surveyed saying lifestyle-related factors, or a better work/life balance, are the primary reason for contemplating a move abroad.
It is not just overseas positions, though, that spark an interest for British-based tech professionals; they are also interested in making career moves within the U.K.
Over two thirds (69%) of those surveyed indicated they are just as open to moving within Britain if the right opportunity came along.
The Dice survey found the main reasons for considering a domestic relocation appears to differ by region. Positions in London, for instance, saw increased earnings providing the central motivator for moving whereas, for opportunities in the South West, lifestyle-related factors are the primary reason for considering a move.
Similarly, quality-of-life, career advancement and family considerations all ranked ahead of increased earnings for those respondents considering a move to Scotland.
Jamie Bowler, Dice’s marketing director in the U.K. and Continental Europe, said: “Tech professionals fully recognise the highly transferable nature of their skills.
“As a result, tech professionals are often more open than other professionals to the concept of moving – whether to improve their career or their lifestyle.
“This dynamic, in turn, places greater pressure on employers to ensure they have the right culture and working environment in which tech professionals will thrive. Those businesses that have an international footprint should also actively facilitate mobility within the organization in order to both attract and retain strong tech talent.”
Of those open to an international move – approximately a quarter (23%) of respondents indicated they are actively looking to make such a move reality, with a similar percentage of professionals (24%) already on the lookout for new positions within the U.K.