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Staffing disorders persist in the hotel industry. Now, two countries are looking to replace the visa to counter them.
A petition has been filed in the UK to allow EU citizens to come to the UK to work in the hotel industry for up to two years.
“The government deserves to create a special visa for other people from EU countries coming to the UK to paint in the hotel industry for up to 2 years, similar to the seasonal paint visa for horticultural painters. Some countries have visas like this for the hotel sector,” the petition says.
“There is a huge shortage of professional labour in the UK to fill vacancies which, in many cases, were filled in the past with EU staff. For years, citizens of EU countries have been the backbone of the hotel industry and many have been affected by COVID. and then through the final terms of Brexit. Many restaurants struggle to locate other experienced people who need to work.
As of September 2, it had obtained more than 16,400 signatures. Once a petition reaches 10,000, the UK is obliged to respond. With 100,000 signatures, the issue is scheduled for debate in Parliament.
The United Kingdom left the European Union on January 31, 2020, and free movement between the United Kingdom and the European Union ended on January 1, 2021, when a new points-based immigration procedure was launched, much more restrictive than before Brexit.
Brexit is largely blamed, but shortages seem to be the biggest problem.
“Supplier manpower will continue to be an issue,” Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said in May this year.
Portugal, for its part, wants to speed up the deadline for granting visas to citizens of other Portuguese-speaking countries, adding Angola and Brazil, according to reports.
The countries of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries are East Timor, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe.
Immigrants from those countries have had to download a visa if they plan to stay in Portugal for more than 90 days, Reuters reported, and they have to wait several months for the visa to be approved.
Employers’ confederations said there were no staff available in key sectors such as hospitality, agriculture and construction.
Tags: brexit, hospitality, labour shortage, portugal, united kingdom, british government, visas
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