Firms looking to make their mark in the field of "knowledge-intensive" industries must attract highly-skilled workers from overseas, a new report states.
The Towards a Global Labour Market? study, which is published by the Work Foundation, suggests that companies operating in sectors including the financial, professional and businesses services, as well as high-tech manufacturing and the creative industries, need access to the most talented staff if they are to succeed.
If companies of this nature are not able to access talent from overseas they will find it hard to retain a cutting edge in the global market place, the report adds.
Katerina Rudiger, author of the study, said: "The UK's best bet for making the most of globalisation is to tap the increasing flows of highly qualified people around the world.
"In an increasingly globalised world, international experience, combined with language skills and an outlook shaped by learning from other places, is increasingly important."
Recently, the government revealed new measures aimed ensuring that only skilled migrant workers are able to find employment in the UK.
Under the points-based system, non-EU citizens will have to prove the fit certain criteria in order to work in the country.
