Brown's Budget aims to beat the IT brain drain

Chancellor Gordon Brown plans to tackle the UK IT skills crisis by opening the door to non-European Union workers in this month's Budget.

Brown hopes that the proposals will give UK vendor and user companies access to a greater pool of skills, and facilitate off-shore development by allowing overseas project managers to come to the UK, countering the current brain drain to the US.

The plans were welcomed by the IT and recruitment industries.

"This is a fundamental requirement if the UK is to be a success in the new economy," said Tony Lewis, executive director of the Computing Services and Software Association. "Not just for vendors, but also for users."

Paul Johnston, director of resources at Andersen Consulting, said: "I get a number of requests from people in the US, South Africa and Australia to come and work here. But the immigration department makes you jump through hoops. It would be sensible to relax the rules and allow suitably qualified people to come here."

A spokesman for recruitment company Elan said: "I am looking to recruit 40 people when there are only 20 people in the UK with the required skills. It's a common occurrence."

The Budget is on 21 March.