Visas for Tech Talents, here is what happening in Europe.

Recently, I have seen many news regarding of Europe countries’ policy on giving out visas to professionals of tech industry. I believe this trend showed how government is trying to making an effort to help its companies to grow, which leads to the growth of its economy. I would like to discuss two examples in the this signal.

Example one: Lithuania

Lithuania, one of the first countries to declare independency from Soviet Union, has recently launched its official startup visa program, which will allow and encourage tech founders from outside of EU to start business in Lithuania.

Example two: UK

Tech City UK, a government quango (quango: a semipublic administrative body outside the civil service but receiving financial support from the government, which makes senior appointments to it.), announced its tech immigration visa, traced back to 2013, has gain more and more popularity. Totally of 200 visas available for now, Tech City UK says :

“ the visa is most popular with tech workers in the USA, India, and Nigeria.”

Those two countries showed us how countries and governments are trying its best to attack talents. However, there are differences between individual countries. The main problem that Lithuania is facing is how it can prevent losing talents to other countries, it is also a problem for most of the emerging markets nowadays. Even though, the startup visa program could be a great effort to help build the ecosystem.

As most of us already knew, UK is already somewhat a startup harbor like Silicon Valley, however, it is still a revolutionary step for its government to show its presence on international recruiting market.

Let’s look back of our home US, we are still the number one in terms of technology entrepreneurship and government support of innovation. However, under the uncertainty of Trump presidency, it is possible there will be a great loss of talents related to the future changes of immigration law. No matter what Mr. Trump promised to bring the jobs back to American Citizens, the lost jobs are not coming back that easily. Same apply to talents, it is much difficult to attract talents than to lose them.