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Curry houses 'need more migrants' | |
(about 8 hours later) | |
The Home Office is being urged to ease restrictions on migrant workers entering Britain from Bangladesh, to avert a crisis in the curry industry. | The Home Office is being urged to ease restrictions on migrant workers entering Britain from Bangladesh, to avert a crisis in the curry industry. |
Curry houses are struggling to fill thousands of kitchen staff vacancies, says the Immigration Advisory Service. | Curry houses are struggling to fill thousands of kitchen staff vacancies, says the Immigration Advisory Service. |
For years, many staff in the UK's 9,000 curry restaurants have been recruited directly from Bangladesh. | For years, many staff in the UK's 9,000 curry restaurants have been recruited directly from Bangladesh. |
But restrictions on the workers have been tighter since eastern Europeans were given employment rights. | But restrictions on the workers have been tighter since eastern Europeans were given employment rights. |
In a further threat to the UK's curry industry, the cost of rice - one of the staple ingredients in the cuisine - is soaring on world markets. | |
Rice fears | |
Alex Waugh, director of the Rice Association, said prices had risen 60% year-on-year. | |
He said: "If you are a restaurant owner and you are buying a lot of rice you either reduce your margins or you put your prices up. | |
"A cost increase of that magnitude is going to feed through, and this will probably see the price of a curry increase." | |
It is thought the curry industry in the UK employs at least 50,000 people, with the majority of restaurants Bangladeshi-owned. | It is thought the curry industry in the UK employs at least 50,000 people, with the majority of restaurants Bangladeshi-owned. |
'Cultural sensitivity' | |
According to the IAS, restrictions on lower-skilled workers from outside the EU are causing a labour shortage so severe it could cause "irreparable damage" to the curry industry. | According to the IAS, restrictions on lower-skilled workers from outside the EU are causing a labour shortage so severe it could cause "irreparable damage" to the curry industry. |
It argues that attempts to get eastern Europeans to work in curry restaurants have failed because they do not have the "cultural sensitivity" required. | It argues that attempts to get eastern Europeans to work in curry restaurants have failed because they do not have the "cultural sensitivity" required. |
The IAS has written to the Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne, asking for the rules to be relaxed for catering workers from Bangladesh. | The IAS has written to the Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne, asking for the rules to be relaxed for catering workers from Bangladesh. |
But government officials said they had no plans to review the current arrangements. | But government officials said they had no plans to review the current arrangements. |