A survey of more than 1000 London business leaders by London Higher, the representative body for higher education in the capital, reveals that the overwhelming majority view access to international talent as vital to their growth and innovation. Companies with a global workforce comprising more than 10 per cent of their employees were significantly more likely to believe they outperform competitors – 73 per cent compared with 54 per cent among firms with lower international representation. 91 per cent viewed international workers as essential for the city’s competitiveness against New York, Singapore or Paris. Only four per cent of businesses felt a global workforce reduced opportunities for local talent and only six per cent said it held back locally-led innovation.
The findings also show the potential economic risks of tighter immigration policies. Over half of businesses surveyed said they would consider relocating operations outside the UK if access to international talent were further restricted.
Earlier this year, the Government’s White Paper on Immigration proposed several measures that could impact the UK’s ability to attract international students — including reducing the Graduate Visa route from two years to 18 months and introducing a levy on overseas student tuition fee income. This follows previous restrictions, such as the 2023 ban on student visa holders bringing dependents, which led to a 14 per cent drop in applications. Since Brexit, the number of EU students coming to the UK has already fallen by 57 per cent.
Liz Hutchinson, Chief Executive of London Higher, said:
“Global graduates give London its competitive edge. Every sector of our economy benefits from the talent and energy they bring. This research shows that they don’t take opportunities away – they help create them. They fill critical skills gaps, drive innovation and support growth. By helping businesses expand, they generate more jobs and opportunities for everyone. As the Government focuses on building domestic skills through its Post-16 White Paper, international graduates complement these efforts by addressing immediate skills gaps in critical growth sectors. London is the education capital of the world, and our universities deliver world-class teaching and research that benefits all students – whether they’re from the UK or overseas. This excellence in education is what develops the talent pipeline our economy needs, both now and for the future.”
John Dickie, CEO of BusinessLDN, said:
“Employers welcome the Government’s focus on ensuring talented people across the country have the skills they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow. But it is equally important the UK does all it can to remain attractive to highly skilled individuals from across the globe, particularly at a time when some of our rivals are closing their doors to international students. Ministers should scrap misguided plans to introduce a new higher education levy on income from international students which would hit growth, exacerbate the sector’s financial challenges and undermine our soft power.”
Harry Coath, Head of Talent and Skills Programmes at London & Partners, the capital’s growth agency, said: “Our world-class market for international talent is a key driver of inward investment for London and the UK. It’s also part of what makes London such a great launchpad for businesses that have ambitions to expand overseas. They can hire people with global connections and international understanding, which can supercharge their growth.”
Zubair Junjunia, International graduate, social entrepreneur and founder of ZNotes, said: “I benefited greatly from the Innovation and Entrepreneurship department at UCL, and from the fact that London is a global crossroad where you can meet entrepreneurs, industry experts, and global leaders. I learned so much by being in a place where I could attend world-class events and have access to some of the smartest people in the industry through my visibility and proximity.”
The research was conducted by Survation, who surveyed 1,000 London business leaders in London between 17 September and 1 October 2025 via an online interview. It launched at London Higher’s international conference on 19 November. The research underscores how international talent works alongside domestic skills development to support London’s economic growth. As the government focuses on strengthening post-16 education and closing skills gaps through its White Paper, international graduates provide a complement to longer-term domestic skills strategies, helping businesses grow while the UK builds its home-grown talent pipeline.
