The industry has welcomed the news that skilled chefs are to be included on the UK shortage occupation list.

Chefs were among the occupations that the Migration Advisory Committee said employers should be able to be recruit for from outside the UK under the proposed new immigration laws because there is a recognised shortage of trained candidates.

Martin Couchman, Deputy Chief Executive of the British Hospitality Association said today the association was "pleased" that the government had responded to industry concerns, but urged employers to "play their part."

"Organisations must apply to be licensed in order to sponsor migrant workers," he added.

Research undertaken by the hospitality skills council People 1st last October found that 89 percent of catering establishments thought that withdrawing work permits from non-EU workers would have a detrimental impact on their business, with up to 15 percent of non-European establishments believing it would mean changing or reducing standards of cuisine, or closing altogether.

Brian Wisdom, Chief Executive of the hospitality skills council People 1st, said the news from the MAC meant the industry would be able to recruit for the "level of skill it needs."

"But in the countdown to 2012, we must continue to focus on investing in improving skills for all employees in the industry, so we are less reliant on importing skills,” he said.

People 1st is currently working with the industry to find ways to help foreign workers develop their skills in this country and has recently received agreement from the government to help fund the training of more than 1,000 new chefs for ethnic restaurants.

Chefs on shortage occupation list

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