Oklava founders launch petition in response to immigration policy

21 February 2020 by
Oklava founders launch petition in response to immigration policy

Oklava restaurant founders Selin Kiazim and Laura Christie have set up a petition in response to the UK government's new immigration policy, which under the points system would class restaurant and bar staff as ‘unskilled'.

The petition calls on the government to revoke Home Secretary Priti Patel's categorisation of hospitality workers as unskilled and oppose the changes to visa requirements for EU workers.

The petition says the new policy will "unfairly burden" the hospitality industry and will result in a potential loss of both workers and "creativity, culture and diversity".

It reads: "We fear this is the end of hospitality as we know it… Hospitality workers and those in many other ‘low skill' industries are worth more than an arbitrary amount of points."

The petition can be seen here and follows the announcement of the plans earlier this week, described as a "hammer blow" that will see hospitality businesses close. The immigration policy to be introduced in January 2021 will have no provision for workers the government deems to be ‘low-skilled'. Prospective workers will need a job offer from a sponsored employer with a minimum salary of £25,600 – although there is a suggestion this could drop to £20,480 in industries with staff shortages if other conditions are met – as well as meeting a minimum English language standard.

Even if these requirements are met, potential employees will need to tot up 70 points in a system that prioritises high salaries and qualifications, with the Home Office estimating that 70% of the UK's current EU workforce would not meet the new requirements.

In response to the announcement, chef Damian Wawrzyniak of Peterborough's House of Feasts, charted his day's activities as an "unskilled EU worker" on Twitter, which included a 6am start in the kitchen making sourdough bread, more than 600 doughnuts, a seven-course dinner service and over 16 hours in the kitchen.

Low-skilled workers will be denied visas under new immigration plans >>

Immigration policy a 'hammer blow' that will see hospitality businesses close >>

Immigration policy fears as data reveals 42% of workforce from EU on average salary of £18,400 >>

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media Group is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking