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Restaurateurs
and hoteliers should still be able to employ skilled chefs from
outside the UK under toughened immigration laws, but not other
hospitality workers, a report suggests.
Chefs are listed among a range of
occupations for which the Migration Advisory Committee considers
there to be a shortage of skilled workers in the UK, meaning
employers who are licensed sponsors will be able to bring in migrant
workers from outside Europe to fill much needed vacancies if they
need to.
The government's talk of
introducing a new Points Based System to address immigration levels
has been of particular concern to owners of Asian and Oriental
restaurants who fear difficulties in finding staff if it is brought
into force.
The committee said it had
considered other occupations within the hospitality industry, such as
waiting staff, but decided against including them on the list much to
the chagrin of the restaurants.
Under the recommendations,
shortage occupation lists will be used in the second stage, or Tier
2, of the new Points Based System.
Under Tier 2, migrant workers
will need a certificate of sponsorship from a sponsored employer,
must satisfy English language requirements and a points criteria laid
out by the government.
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