Talent shortages in UK tech are coming under further pressure as the number of skilled tech workers choosing to work in the UK declines, putting growth and innovation at risk, warns RSM UK.
RSM's freedom of information request to UK Visas and Immigration shows the number of international workers applying for a visa to work in UK tech dropped 11% from 8,739 in Q2 2025 to 7,768 in Q3 2025 and was down 6% year-on-year from 8,233 in Q3 2024.
At the same time, the technology industry is facing various other workforce pressures. RSM's Technology Outlook found nearly a fifth (22%) of tech leaders said maintaining employee engagement was their biggest workforce challenge, followed by the cost of UK-based talent (19%) and upskilling non-technical staff (17%).
Tech businesses are being hit with both a decline in skilled immigration and existing talent shortages. Workforce is likely to be one of the biggest challenges for the UK tech industry in the year ahead. Tech businesses are facing a lack of future-proof skills, which risks hindering growth and innovation, and puts the country further behind in the global tech race.
The war on talent is a real issue in the tech industry. Individuals with the right specialist skills are few and far between, and businesses are struggling to upskill their existing staff fast enough.
