'Smart migration'
key to UK’s
digital future

28 September 2014

A UK technology industry group, techUK, has launched a manifesto which urges the government to recognise the significance of ‘smart migration’ to the UK’s position in the global digital revolution. The report ‘Securing our Digital Future: the techUK manifesto for growth and jobs 2015-2020’ outlines how the next five years are crucial to the UK, not just in terms of becoming a digital leader but also the use of digital technologies to tackle long-term social and economic challenges for the next generation.

‘A comprehensive package of science, innovation and talent’ – techUK

The organisation claims that, alongside calls for the creation of new digital leadership roles in government and the development of the UK as a world-leader in data protection, a necessary key player in the creation of a successful, digital Britain will be the migrant community. The manifesto refers back to research done by The Centre for Entrepreneurs in order to highlight the fact that migrant entrepreneurs are the driving force behind one in seven of all UK start-ups. In other words, the entrepreneurial activity to be found amongst migrants is nearly twice that of the UK-born population and is responsible for creating 14% of all jobs within the vital SME sector.

The report, which is entitled ‘Building our Businesses, Creating our Jobs’, commends this high level of entrepreneurial activity within the migrant community as an admirable achievement in light of the extra challenges that migrants face, such as the procurement of financial support and the navigation of legal intricacies.

As part of its manifesto, techUK is therefore calling for a ‘smart migration’ policy which would encourage and support the movement of highly-skilled individuals into the UK by allowing high-growth companies to tap into the international talent-pool.

According to Luke Johnson, the Chairman of the Centre for Entrepreneurs, “the majority of the public appreciate the value of migrant entrepreneurs, yet our politicians and media send out negative signals that risk alienating this vital group of job creators. Given the huge contribution of migrant entrepreneurs, we are calling upon the media and politicians to join us in celebrating those who come to our country and launch businesses.”

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