Relax Immigration Rules to Enable the UK Hospitality Industry to Recover
A new petition to relax rules for staff to return from the EU to help the hospitality industry to recover from its staff shortage has been launched.
According to the petition page on the Government website there is a people gap of circa 300 – 600,000 EU workers that have left the UK and their absence will stall the ability of hospitality businesses to reopen fully.
The scale and scope of the problem will stifle UK economic recovery, and the wellbeing of people in the UK hoping for a staycation this summer.
Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality is using his extensive network to garner support for this cause, he said
“Our hospitality family has emerged from lockdown straight into a people and talent shortage which has been brewing for years. Supporting the petition to ease free movement for EU hospitality professionals will greatly support our sector.”
The Government should ease immigration restrictions on EU nationals and other migrant workers with experience of working in the UK hospitality industry, at least temporarily, immediately. This could be achieved by creating a new hospitality visa, or exempting non-UK nationals with relevant experience from immigration requirements.
