Report on Migration in UK Creative Occupations and Industries
The report ‘Migration in UK Creative Occupations and Industries’ from the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC) fills the evidence gap in relation to migration, creative occupations and creative industries, by providing detailed statistics on sector trends, rates of growth, country of origin and distribution across the UK.
The report emphasises distinctive features of the creative industries that must be considered in relation to migration policy:
- The greater reliance on freelance and project-based work.
- It thrives on diverse and international talent to foster innovation.
- It includes a higher share of micro-businesses than other sectors.
- It experiences acute skills shortages given its exposure to technological shocks.
In response to the research findings the Creative PEC recommends:
- Targeting hard-to-fill vacancies through balanced migration and domestic skills policy.
- Maintaining the UK’s attractiveness to global talent.
- Ensuring temporary and short-term visa routes remain competitive and accessible for creative occupations.
- Exploring ways to ease the burden of cost on visa applicants.
- Pursuing bilateral agreements that ensure the inclusion of creative workers and their needs.
- Improving data collection and evidence on any barriers that UK creative workers face when working abroad, especially for the EU.
The report ‘Migration in UK Creative Occupations and Industries’ is by Dr Sara Maioli, Dr Daniel Simandjuntak, Dr Jonathan Jones and Professor Giorgio Fazio of Newcastle University. The report is published by the Creative PEC which is funded by the UKRI’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).