UK's tech talent pipeline shrinks as overseas worker visa applications fall 7%

The United Kingdom's tech talent pipeline is dwindling as applications for overseas worker visas have dropped by 7% year-over-year, according to UK Visas and Immigration data disclosed by accounting firm RSM UK. This decline marks the third consecutive year of a downward trend, despite ministers' assurances of Britain's strength in the global technology race. The number of applications fell from 37,376 in 2024 to 34,936 in 2025, down from a peak of 53,729 in 2022.

Programmers and software developers represent the largest group, with 15,689 certificates, followed by IT business analysts, architects, and systems designers at 11,821. IT quality and testing professionals account for 3,091, cybersecurity professionals for 858, and IT network professionals for 310. The application data was impacted by a government classification change in April 2024, which split the figures between old and new codes, but the overall total remained unchanged.

RSM UK argues that this decline poses a significant challenge for an industry already grappling with talent shortages. Ben Bilsland, partner and head of technology industry at RSM UK, emphasized that without intervention, the talent shortage could hinder growth both in the short term and long term. He noted that higher employment costs have made businesses cautious about hiring and cautioned that artificial intelligence alone cannot solve the problem, as companies still require skilled personnel to deploy technology safely and effectively.

RSM UK is advocating for visa reforms, building on comments from UK AI minister Kanishka Narayan regarding the attraction of top engineers to Britain and making the process easier for technology companies to scale domestically. The organization stressed that any reforms must be expedited and that the application process should be accessible to businesses of all sizes.

This issue is not unique to the UK, as the United States also saw a decline in H-1B registrations for the 2026 fiscal year, with a drop of about 25% year-over-year. US tech companies heavily rely on this visa for recruiting foreign workers with specialized skills. However, US immigration officials have introduced measures to curb duplicate registrations and fraud, such as a one-entry-per-beneficiary system and a fee increase from $10 to $215.

Despite these developments, both sets of numbers underscore the global competition for attracting skilled engineers, developers, and other specialists essential for the development of emerging technologies like AI.