London, Aug. 08, 2004
IANS
Indian restaurant owners in Britain are forced to look
overseas for staff as the new generation of local Asian youngsters prefer
going to university to working in restaurants.
The Bangladeshi Caterers' Association - which represents
the vast majority of Indian restaurants across the country - has estimated
it is 20,000 oyees short.
In their effort to recruit specialist staff from overseas,
restaurateurs however face a problem - the Immigration Advisory Service
says that many workers are being refused entry to England because it
is feared they would overstay after the expiry of their visas.
Said Manjit Pabla, general manager of Friends Tandoori
restaurant, Belgrave Road, Leicester: "Asian people who in years
gone by would have worked in restaurants and corner shops are now going
to university.
"It is also more difficult because fewer people
want to work long hours or on weekends now. We therefore recruit staff
from overseas.
"To get a visa you have to show details of your
business plans, accounts and even your menus. Then you have to demonstrate
that the person has five years' experience and that you could not get
somebody from within the EU instead."
Dharmesh Lakhani, who owns Bobby's Restaurant in Belgrave
Road, said: "We have applied for people to be brought in from India
because we are aware people here are more intent on going to college."
Catering colleges are now adding on more courses to
cope with a shortage of chefs.
The government has said it would allow workers into
the UK on a 12-month visa to meet shortages in catering and hospitality.
To be able to recruit overseas the employer has to prove
that he cannot recruit locally. He can then get permission to recruit
overseas at a cost of 153 pounds per visa. The recruits must then convince
immigration officials that they will not overstay.