UK takeaway jobs ban for immigrants from outside European Economic Area

[Al-khiyal]

Clampdown on migrant chefs could force takeaways to shut up shop

March 13, 2011 -- The future of those traditional staples of British cuisine, Indian and Chinese takeaways, have been thrown into doubt by new Home Office restrictions on the overseas recruitment of skilled migrants. The immigration minister, Damian Green, has decided to halt the recruitment from overseas of migrant chefs from outside Europe to work in any establishment that provides a takeaway service. When the Labour government made a similar proposal in 2008 to restrict the influx of skilled cooks and chefs, it provoked a demonstration in London's Trafalgar Square by thousands of people from the Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, Turkish and Chinese communities.

The change is proposed as part of a package of further immigration restrictions, which will see eight jobs removed from the official shortage occupation list under which skilled migrants from outside Europe can come to work in Britain. The package will reduce the number of jobs open to non-European skilled migrants from 500,000 to 230,000 – fewer than 1% of the UK labour force. About 5,500 skilled migrants who came to the UK in 2010 to work in shortage occupations will be excluded by the new rules. More than 1 million jobs were open to skilled non-EU migrants when the government's migration advisory committee produced its first shortage occupation list in 2008. The restrictions mostly follow recommendations made by the committee and include closing the door on senior skilled care workers, despite representations from care homes, which claim they are unable to recruit British or European staff. It is thought, however, that care home managers and nurses are excluded from the ban.

The eight occupations being removed from the 38 on the official shortage list include high-integrity pipe welders, airframe fitters, electricity industry site supervisors, skilled meat boners and trimmers, skilled senior care workers and skilled sheep shearers. The change means the list will now mainly include skilled engineers, jobs in medical, nursing and veterinary professions, maths and science teachers, visual effects and computer animators and certain ballet/contemporary dancers and musicians. The government said it would follow a migration advisory committee recommendation to keep open 5% of chef jobs in the UK to overseas chefs but would impose stringent earnings and experience criteria. But ministers have decided to go further in ruling out any chefs being recruited to work in any establishment that provides a takeaway service.

The Home Office has also confirmed that those coming to work as a skilled migrant in Britain will only be able to fill graduate-level jobs. Green said: "These changes to the shortage occupation list will ensure that only skilled workers are coming to the UK through tier two of the points-based system. It will allow firms to bring in people with necessary skills without migrants becoming the first resort to fill a wide range of available jobs. "This government is also determined to get people back to work and provide business with the skills they need from the British workforce – reducing the need for migrants at the same time as we reduce their number."

[Al-khiyal]

UK takeaway jobs ban for immigrants from outside EEA

March 14, 2011 -- Migrants from outside the European Economic Area will no longer be allowed to work in the UK as chefs in takeaway restaurants, the government has said. The ruling comes after the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was asked to review the country's skill shortages. A similar ban will apply to workers such as hairdressers, beauty salon managers and estate agents from April. The number of skilled migrants not from the European Economic Area is being capped annually at 21,700.

The Home Office has already announced that only graduate-level non-European Economic Area (EEA) workers will be allowed to apply to come to the UK. Now it has reduced the list of jobs where there is a skills shortage in the UK to eight occupations, including senior care workers, sheep shearers and pipe welders, following advice from the the UK Border Agency's MAC. Chefs will need to have graduate-level qualifications, with a minimum of five years' experience in an equivalent role, and need to earn at least £28,260 per year after their accommodation and food. Those from outside the EEA wanting to work in fast food outlets and takeaways will not be allowed in to the UK at all.

Immigration Minister Damian Green: "These changes will allow firms to bring in people with necessary skills without migrants becoming the first resort to fill a wide range of available jobs. This government is also determined to get people back to work and provide business with the skills they need from the British workforce - reducing the need for migrants at the same time as we reduce their number." The government wants to cut net migration from about 200,000 a year to tens of thousands by 2015. The EEA comprises countries in the European Union and European Free Trade Association.