REUTERS/Peter Macdiarmid Prime Minister David Cameron.
In an open letter, 235 of the nation's leading entrepreneurs and investors asked the Prime Minister to reconsider plans that will make it even harder for them to employ skilled workers outside the EU.
The people behind the letter, which was orchestrated by Coadec (The Coalition for a Digital Economy), hail from some of the UK's best-known technology companies including Google DeepMind, Citymapper, Shazam, and SwiftKey.
Autonomy founder and billionaire Mike Lynch also gave his signature, as did angel investor Sherry Coutu and sharing economy advocate Debbie Wosskow, both of whom have written reports for the government in the last year and advised it on how to support the UK's digital economy.
It's worth noting that around 20 of the signatories also signed the pre-election tech letter in The Guardian backing the Tories.
One of the most prominent names not to appear on the list of signatories this time round is venture capitalist and government advisor Eileen Burbidge. However, Burbidge has told Business Insider on previous occasions that immigration and allowing UK tech firms to hire skilled talent should be a number one priority for government.
"We absolutely need highly skilled talent," Burbidge said last month. "It's difficult because obviously there's a larger political narrative which is about the stress on social services of an ever-growing population, but I think that what we can do are small measures, small things about making sure that we know where certain pockets exist for need or demand, and how to service that."
Given that Burbidge is now chair of Tech City UK and therefore a government spokesperson, it's likely that she felt she was unable to support a government lobbying effort. However, Business Insider understands that she will be doing all she can in her role as Tech City UK chair and UK fintech envoy to ensure the government doesn't clamp down on skilled immigration.
Following the general election, Cameron's Tory government revealed that it planned to "significantly reduce" the number of skilled workers coming to Britain from outside the EU. He said this was necessary as net migration levels were at record levels.
The letter comes as the government's Migration Advisory Committee consults how the UK can further tighten rules around the entrepreneur visa, which allows those outside the EU to come to Britain and start a business, and the Tier 2 visa, which enables UK technology companies to hire people from outside the EU and bridge skills gaps.
Companies like Google and Facebook rely on the Tier 2 visa to bring staff from their US offices to their London offices.
The government is exploring whether it should raise the minimum salary threshold on the Tier 2 visa so that it only applies to people working at director-level roles.
Kovert Designs
Kovert Designs CEO Kate Unsworth backed the open letter.
Sarah Wood, CEO and cofounder of Unruly, said: "If the government is serious about growing Britain's digital economy and competing on a global stage, it cannot afford to cut off the oxygen that feeds our ecosystem - skilled talent from around the world, drawn to London and the UK precisely because of its diversity, creativity and vitality.
"We simply could not have scaled the business to the size it is today (15 offices, £28.7m revenue) without the programming expertise and language skills of international software engineers and digital professionals from around the world."
Tech City UK estimates that 1.46 million people work in the UK's digital economy, which represents 10% of the UK's GDP, and is the biggest and fastest-growing of the G20, set to hit 12% of GDP next year.
"The UK has become a global tech hub thanks in large part to startup founders, investors and employees from across the globe, including many of us who were not born in Britain but choose to invest our time and talents here," the letter reads.
"We call on you to ensure that any future changes to the immigration system make it easier, not harder, for qualified digital entrepreneurs to come to the UK to start their business, and for growing startups to hire top international talent."
Guy Levin, executive director of Coadec and a former political advisor to the Treasury, said any changes to the immigration system must make it easier, not harder, for digital entrepreneurs to come to the UK to start their business and for growing startups to hire top international talent.
A 2013 O2 report, The Future Digital Skills Needs of the UK Economy, estimated that 745,000 additional workers with digital skills would be needed to meet rising demand from employers between 2013 and 2017. Halfway through that time frame companies are still crying out for talented workers with certain skills.
The letter acknowledges that the government has taken a number of steps to support the UK's digital economy, including giving tax breaks to investors that back startups through the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), and its support for the sharing economy.
The government also relaxed the rules around the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa, allowing companies to hire groups of five people at once and opening it up to those that show "exceptional promise."
Here's the letter itself:
Dear Prime Minister,
We represent a cross-section of the UK's digital startup and scale-up ecosystem, including the founders of Citymapper, DeepMind, JustPark and SwiftKey. The UK has the largest and fastest growing digital economy in the G20, worth over 10pc of GDP.
During the election campaign you argued that the UK should be 'the startup nation in Europe, and one of the great startup nations in the world'. We share this ambition and applaud your government's long-standing support for the UK's tech community. From SEIS to support for FinTech and the sharing economy, you have championed entrepreneurs and innovators in the interest of securing our country's long-term economic growth.
However, finding talent with the right skills and experience we need to grow our businesses remains one of the biggest barriers to achieving that ambition. The UK has become a global tech hub thanks in large part to startup founders, investors and employees from across the globe, including many of us who were not born in Britain but choose to invest our time and talents here. We are very concerned that changes to immigration policy will make it more difficult to attract and recruit the talent high-growth companies need to compete and succeed in a global marketplace.
The government's Migration Advisory Committee is currently examining proposals aiming to further restrict the Tier 2 system of skilled work visas and to reform the Entrepreneur Visa. Further restrictions on skilled migration could restrict the growth of our businesses and hurt the UK's digital economy.
We call on you to ensure that any future changes to the immigration system make it easier, not harder, for qualified digital entrepreneurs to come to the UK to start their business, and for growing startups to hire top international talent.
It is of course also vital that we continue to support the growth of digital skills within the UK, and we stand ready to do our part.
Sincerely yours,
Adam Horner | Co-founder and CTO, Satago |
Adrian Lloyd | Founder & Partner, Episode 1 Ventures |
Adrian Sevitz | Co-founder, vzaar limited |
Alain Falys | Co-founder, Yoyo Wallet |
Alasdair McPherson | Partner, Craigie Capital |
Alastair Paterson | CEO, Digital Shadows |
Alena Dundas | Founder, Gymdeck |
Alex Loizou | Co-founder, Streethub |
Alex Stephany | CEO, JustPark |
Alexander Asseily | Founder, State, Jawbone and Elvie |
Alexander Trewby | Co-founder, Divide (acquired by Google) |
Alexandra Depledge | Co-founder, Hassle.com |
Alexandre Dalyac | Co-founder, Tractable |
Alice Bentinck | Co-founder, Entrepreneur First |
Alice Taylor | CEO, Makielab |
Alicia Navarro | CEO, Skimlinks |
Alliott Cole | Director, Octopus Ventures |
Amy Lai | Founder and CEO, Wittos |
Andrew Evans | Co-founder and CEO, Smart Pension |
Andrew Fisher | Executive Chairman, Shazam |
Andrew Gibb | Founder, Coldpress |
Andrew Hunter | Co-founder, Adzuna |
Andrew Jervis | Co-founder, Clickmechanic |
Andrew Scott | Founder partner, 7percent Ventures |
Andrew Tibbitts | COO, TechHub |
Andrius Sutas | Co-founder, AimBrain |
Andy Bennett | Founder, Knodium Ltd |
Andy Hobsbawm | Founder, EVRYTHNG |
Andy Stephenson | Founder, Weekend Box |
Aneesh Varma | Founder, Aire |
Anirvan Lahiri | Co-founder, The Stay Guru |
Ankur Modi | CEO, StatusToday |
Anne Johnson | Founder, Cunning Systems |
Anthony Eskinazi | Founder, JustPark |
Anton Wellenreiter | Partner, Charlotte Street Capital |
Azmat Yusuf | Founder, Citymapper |
Ben Drury | Co-founder, 7digital |
Ben Gateley | Co-founder and COO, The Eleven |
Ben Medlock | Co-founder/CTO, SwiftKey |
Ben Perreau | Co-founder, Synkio |
Ben Whately | Co-founder, Memrise |
Bernhard Niesner | Co-founder, Busuu |
Bill Earner | Managing Partner, Connect Ventures |
Bindi Karia | Startup expert, connector and advisor |
Bo Pedersen | Partner, Charlotte Street Capital |
Brendan Gill | CEO, OpenSignal |
Bruce Beckloff | Managing Partner, Bloc Ventures |
Bryce Keane | Founder, Albion Drive |
Cecile Baird | CMO, Credits |
Charlie Newman | Co-founder, Pinipa |
Charlie Osmond | Founder, TripTease |
Charlotte Lacombe-Bar | Co-founder, Mooshoo Labs |
Chris Dawson | Co-founder, One Utility Bill |
Christian Hernandez | Co-founder, White Star Capital |
Christopher Hunter | Co-founder, Odyssey Sensors |
Colette Ballou | Founder, Ballou PR |
Constantin Bjerke | Founder, Crane.tv |
Dale Knight | Co-founder, One Utility Bill |
Damien Lane | Partner, Episode1 |
Dan Bladen | Founder, Chargifi |
Dan Sutherland | Founder, Carrenza |
Daneal Bassiouni | Co-founder, Homefund |
Daniel Benamran | General Manager UK, BlaBlaCar |
Daniel van Binsbergen | Co-founder, Lexoo |
David Cleevely | Founder, Cambridge Angels |
David Fogel | Deputy Director, Wayra UK |
David Galsworthy | Co-founder and CEO, TechSpace |
Debbie Wosskow | Co-founder, Love Home Swap |
Demis Hassabis | Co-founder, DeepMind |
Devin Hunt | Partner, Founder Centric |
Doug Monro | Co-founder, Adzuna |
Douglas Bell | Founder, London Innovators |
Eamon Jubbawy | Co-founder, Onfido |
Edward Chin | Co-founder, Supersolid |
Eeswaran Navaratnam | Managing Partner, 01Ventures |
Elizabeth Varley | Co-founder, TechHub |
Emanuel Andjelic | Co-founder, Squirrel |
Emily Forbes | Founder, Seenit |
Emma Sinclair | Co-founder, EnterpriseJungle |
Eoin Hyde | Co-founder, Innersight Labs |
Eric van der Kleij | Head of Level39 & MD Entiq |
Evgeny Shadchnev | Co-founder, Makers Academy |
Faith Forster | Founder, Pinipa |
Felix Leuschner | Founder, Drover App |
Florian Stronk | Co-founder, Koyoki |
Frank Kelcz | Founder, Excellerance |
Gary Thompson | Founder, GoRaise |
Gavin Sathianathan | Partner, Kingsley Capital Partners |
George Bevis | CEO, TIDE |
George Marangos-Gilks | Founder, The Tab |
George Spencer | CEO, Rentify |
George Whitehead | Chairman, Angel Cofund |
Gi Fernando | Founder, Freeformers |
Gideon Farrell | Co-founder, Converge |
Gil Dibner | Investor |
Giles Andrew | Executive chairman and Co-founder, Zopa |
Giovanni Charles | Co-founder, Fluently.io |
Glenn Shoosmith | CEO, BookingBug |
Gus Ferguson | Managing Partner, The Tetrad Consultancy |
Guy Levin | Executive Director, Coadec |
Haakon Overli | General Partner, Dawn Capital |
Harry Briggs | Partner, BGF Ventures |
Helen Cammack | Co-founder, interests.me |
Henry Firth | Founder, Pingtune |
Hermann Hauser | Partner Amadeus Capital Partners and serial entrepreneur |
Hugh Collins | Co-founder, Code Kingdoms |
Husayn Kassai | Co-founder, Onfido |
Hussein Kanji | Founding Partner, Hoxton Ventures |
Ilya Levtov | Co-founder, Craft.co |
Irra Ariella Khi | CEO, V Technology |
Itamar Lesuisse | CEO, Peak |
Jack Huang | Co-founder, TRULY Experiences |
Jamal MonDesir | Founder, MADFoundry |
James Gill | CEO, GoSquared |
Jamie Edwards | COO, Kayako |
Jason Bolton | Co-founder, Mooshoo Labs |
Jeff Lynn | Co-founder, Seedrs |
Jennifer Arcuri | Founder, InnoTech Summit |
Jenny Griffiths | Founder, Snap Fashion |
Jeppe Zink | Partner, Northzone |
Jessica Williamson | Programme Director, TechStars |
Jo York | CCO/CMO, Reframed.tv |
Joe Cohen | Founder, Seatwave |
Joe Root | Co-founder, Permutive |
Joelle Hadfield | Co-founder, FightsMe.com |
John Hackett | MD, ArenaFlowers.com |
John Henderson | Principal, White Star Capital |
John Spindler | CEO, Capital Enterprise |
John Thompson | CEO, UserReplay |
Jon Bradford | Co-founder, F6S & tech.eu |
Jon Petrides | Co-founder, Guevara & Penda Health |
Jordan Emery | MD, Quella |
Josh Russell | Partner, Rokk3r Labs |
Joshua March | Co-founder and CEO, Conversocial |
Julian Carter | Co-founder, EC1 Capital |
Julian Ranger | Founder, digi.me |
Julie Meyer | Founder, EntrepreneurCountry; CEO, Ariadne Capital |
Kate Unsworth | CEO, Kovert Designs |
Kevin Price | CEO, Reframed.tv |
Kieran O'Neill | Co-founder, Thread |
Kristo Kaarmann | Co-founder, TransferWise |
Leonard Austin | Co-founder, Ravelin |
Lloyd Price | Co-founder, Zesty |
Lopo Champalimaud | Co-founder, Wahanda |
Luke Lang | Co-founder, Crowdcube |
Mads Holmen | Founder, Bibblio |
Mait Muntel | Co-founder, Lingvist |
Marcus Greenwood | CEO, Universal Basket |
Mark Russell | Co-founder, Universal Basket |
Mark Ryan | Co-founder, Blooie |
Marko Srsan | Programme Operator, TechStars |
Martha Lane Fox | Co-founder, Lastminute.com |
Martin Bailie | Co-founder, Tailored |
Martin Sweeney | CEO, Ravelin |
Matt Clifford | Co-founder, Entrepreneur First |
Melvin Salas | Co-founder, Leaf.fm |
Michael Thornton | Co-founder, Carbon Analytics |
Mike Butcher | Co-founder, TechHub |
Mike Lynch | Founder, Invoke Capital |
Mike Minett | Co-founder and MD, The Positive Ageing Company |
Monty Munford | Founder, Mob76 |
Mustafa Suleyman | Co-founder, DeepMind |
Nabil Freeman | Founder, Freeman Industries |
Nic Brisbourne | Managing Partner, Forward Partners |
Nic Yeeles | Founder and CEO, Peg |
Nicholas Katz | Co-founder, Splittable |
Nicholas Russell | Founder, We Are Pop Up |
Nicholas Sharp | Associate, Passion Capital |
Nick Hungerford | Co-founder and CEO, Nutmeg |
Nick Lally | Co-founder, Ravelin |
Nigel Whiteoak | Founder, LoveCrafts |
Oleg Fomenko | Co-founder, SweatCoin, bloom.fm |
Oli Ashness | Founder, Simply Cook |
Oliver Pugh | Founder, EarlyBird.fm |
Patrick Stobbs | Co-founder, Jukedeck |
Paul McNabb | Partner, Episode1 |
Paul Miller | Partner, Bethnal Green Ventures |
Paul Slater | Co-founder, Fit Gurus Ltd |
Paul Smith | MD, Ignite and Campus North |
Pip Jamieson | Founder, The Dots |
Prasanna Kannan | Co-founder, Homefund |
Pratik Sampat | CEO, iHorizon |
Raj Ramanandi | CEO, #1Seed |
Rajeeb Dey | Founder, Enternships |
Raph Crouan | MD, Startupbootcamp IOT |
Rashid Mansoor | Co-founder, Adbrain |
Razvan Ranca | Co-founder, Tractable |
Reshma Sohoni | Partner and Co-founder, Seedcamp |
Rhydian Lewis | Co-founder and CEO, Ratesetter |
River Tamoor Baig | Co-founder, Hack Partners |
Rob O'Donovan | Co-Founder of The Eleven and CharlieHR.com |
Robert Dighero | Partner, Passion Capital |
Robin Klein | Co-founder, The Accelerator Group and LocalGlobe |
Rohan Luvaglio | Founder and CEO, Bizzby |
Ruhul Amin | Co-founder, Onfido |
Russ Shaw | Founder, Tech London Advocates |
Ryan Kliszat | Co-founder, Verticly |
Saasha Celestial-One | Co-founder, OLIO |
Sam Mathews | CEO, NEVERBLAND |
Sam Michel | Founder, Chinwag |
Sam Oakley | CEO, StashMetrics |
Sandy Forster | Co-founder, Pinipa |
Sanford Dickert | CEO, OWLR |
Sarah Cochrane | COO, Vetcloud |
Sarah Wood | Co-founder, Unruly |
Saul Klein | Founding Partner, LocalGlobe |
Sean Seton-Rogers | Partner, PROFounders Capital |
Sherry Coutu | Investor and non-exec director |
Simon Edwards | Co-founder, Shuttlecook |
Simon Hill | Co-founder, Wazoku |
Simon Murdoch | Managing Partner, Episode1 |
Spencer Hyman | Co-founder, Navigator Commerce |
Stefan Glaenzer | Partner, Passion Capital |
Taavet Hinrikus | Co-founder, TransferWise |
Tak Lo | Director, TechStars |
Tessa Cook | Co-founder, OLIO |
Tim Jackson | General Partner, Lean Investments |
Tim Spratt | Co-founder, Permutive |
Tom Allason | Founder, Shutl (acquired by Ebay) |
Tom Foster-Carter | Co-founder, Curve |
Tom Jones | Partner, Charlotte Street Capital |
Tom Watson | Co-founder, Hubble |
Tony Powell | Co-founder, Sponsorlist |
Tracy Dorée | Founding Partner, Spring Partners |
Tristan Deplantes | Co-founder, Mooshoo Labs |
Turi Munthe | Founder, Demotix |
Tushar Agarwal | Co-founder, Hubble |
Ultan Miller | Co-founder, Release |
Varun Shoor | CEO, Kayako |
Vincent Dignan | Founder, Magnific |
Vivian Chan | Co-founder, Sparrho |
Wil Benton | Co-founder, Chew |
Will Hodson | Co-founder, The Big Deal |
Will Wynne | Co-founder, ArenaFlowers.com and Smart Pension |
William Reeve | Co-CEO, Hubbub.co.uk |