The UK will need to attract more skilled IT workers from around the globe if it is to secure its position as a leader in high technology, according to new research.

Independent consultancy The Work Foundation said that the UK has been successful as a location for foreign investment, but risks being left behind in an increasingly "knowledge intensive" world.

Skills shortages among employers, combined with an ageing population, means that policymakers must do more to ensure that the UK remains an attractive destination for highly skilled migrants.

The report also warned that feelings of antagonism towards immigration in general are likely to harm the ability of UK firms to attract skilled and talented people from abroad.

Being able to access highly skilled labour in the IT, science, healthcare and technology sectors from around the world creates a competitive edge and avoids the limits imposed by having a purely native supply of people.

Such a policy would also shore up the UK's ability to attract foreign direct investment and as a place to undertake top-flight research and development.

"Global firms need more global people, not just to fill shortages but for the sake of enabling firms to innovate," said Katerina Rüdiger, the report's author.

"International experience, language skills and an outlook shaped by learning from other places is important in an increasingly globalised world."

The paper argues that the debate about migrants qualified at graduate level is difficult to disentangle from the wider controversy about immigration.

Politicians and policymakers in many countries face the dilemma of being open to talent and keen for companies to attract the best people while not appearing a soft touch or indifferent to the plight of migrants without high-level skills.

"The new points-based system in the UK will not be enough on its own," explained Rüdiger.

"Talented people want career opportunities, the chance to expand knowledge by working with the brightest and best, good salaries and the creation of diverse and exciting cities.

"At present, despite the hype, numbers are relatively low. Only 167,000 high-skilled workers came to this country on official figures from 2005. Politicians need to actively make the case for highly skilled migration."

Rüdiger also warned that just easing immigration laws will not be sufficient to attract the calibre of immigrant workers required, as the global demand in these segments is growing faster than the number of available workers.

• Work Foundation Report: Towards a Global Labour Market? Globalisation and the Knowledge Economy