Jobseekers looking for roles in the tech industry are increasingly looking in mainland Europe, while searches in the UK are declining, according to data published today by job site Indeed.
Indeed analysed search data for tech sector jobs across 11 European countries between the first half of 2017 and the first half of 2019.
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It has found that the UK was the only nation to see a drop in searches by tech jobseekers, with the rate declining by 3% over the two-year period.
Meanwhile, other countries have seen a notable surge in searches by tech jobseekers. Belgium, for example, saw searches for technology jobs climb by 76% over the same period, while Portugal saw a rise of 45% and Sweden by 42%.
The issue is likely to be related to fears over Brexit, with many unsure about prospects in the country following the UK’s departure from the European Union.
“The slowdown in interest for UK tech jobs and the gains being made across Europe coincided with Brexit, suggesting the uncertainty about post-Brexit Britain could be eating into tech workers’ desire to work in the UK,” said Bill Richards, UK managing director of Indeed.
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By GlobalData“For employers, this means a squeeze for tech talent and potential challenges attracting workers. We know salary is the most important motivation but people also want to identify and connect with companies whose job opportunities will be the right next step in their career, and whose cultures will enable them to thrive.”
US tech jobseekers curb UK searches
The trend of shifting to mainland Europe for tech roles has also been echoed by American jobseekers, despite the fact that the UK remains the most popular destination in the continent for tech workers from the US.
Searches from US-based tech jobseekers dropped from 17.1% in 2017 to 13.6% in 2019.
Meanwhile, searches in the rest of Europe from US tech workers rose from 8.6% to 9.4% over the same period.
“Our data shows European tech hubs have access to a deep pool of high-skilled workers and as funding across the continent grows so do job opportunities in the tech sector,” said Richards.
“We’ve also seen how European tech workers are prepared to work elsewhere on the continent compared to their American counterparts, who are showing signs of wanting to stay in North America.”
However, according to Atomico’s State of European Tech Report 2019, which uses Indeed data, this decline hasn’t been echoed by searches in other parts of the world. India in particular has retained strong interest in UK tech jobs, accounting for 20.9% of all searches for tech jobs in the country.
“Overall, searches for UK tech jobs may have dipped but there is still much to shout about the sector,” he added.
“Britain remains a hotbed for tech innovation, with global investment still pouring in and the country remains a world leader for creating tech unicorns and attracting a high-skilled global workforce.”
Read more: Brexit delays are harming technology investments – and the long-term damage could be significant
