The number of foreign IT professionals that came to work in the UK grew by 14% during 2007, according to information procured by the Association of Technology Staffing Companies (ATSCo).

Over 38,000 work permits for IT roles in the UK were granted to non-EU residents last year, more than double the amount issued in 2002. More than four out of five of those permits were given to Indian citizens.

ATSCo believes this influx poses a threat to the long-term viability of the UK’s IT industry. “Our concern is that the British IT workforce is being bypassed and that this is damaging the long-term competitiveness of the UK IT industry,” said Swain.

Meanwhile, another piece of research published this week revealed that demand for IT staff in the UK is still booming despite widespread economic caution. A survey by IT recruitment specialists Computer People found that 581 new IT jobs were created in the UK in February 2008 – almost twice as many as during February 2007.

“These figures are extremely encouraging for the technology industry as a whole and support the wider thinking that the IT sector is coming to the fore during this credit crunch,” said Nick Dettmar, Computer People’s managing director.

Further reading

Risky business What does the future hold for the UK’s IT professionals – from the trainee to the CIO – in a global economy?