UK demand for AI talent could narrow Eastern European tech pay gap by 2028, report finds

Growing demand from UK employers for artificial intelligence (AI) specialists could significantly reduce the technology salary gap between the UK and Eastern Europe over the next three years, according to research from recruitment firm Robert Walters and workforce payments platform Native Teams.

The analysis predicted that increased cross-border hiring by UK businesses could narrow the pay gap between the UK and Eastern Europe for technology roles from 46% to 36% by 2028.

The report said that salaries for AI, cloud and cybersecurity professionals in Eastern Europe could rise by as much as 8% annually over the next three years, outpacing growth in equivalent UK roles.

According to the research, average salaries for mid-level software developers in Eastern Europe are expected to increase from around $48,000 to more than $60,000 by 2028.

Comparable UK salaries are forecast to rise from approximately $89,000 to $94,000 over the same period.

Phill Brown, global head of market intelligence at Robert Walters, said: “One of the clearest shifts we are starting to see in the technology labour market is that specialist digital skills are becoming more globally priced.

“Historically, salary growth across emerging technology markets was driven primarily by local economic conditions. Increasingly, however, international demand from UK and multinational employers is becoming a major influence, particularly across AI, cyber security and cloud.

“Once businesses begin competing internationally for the same specialist talent pools, salary expectations tend to move much faster than local markets alone would typically support.”