New rules to clamp down on legal immigration branded a 'disaster'

New rules to clamp down on legal immigration have been branded a “disaster” by both hospitality and social care leaders.

The Home Office introduced a wide package of measures in July. It was a bid to slash net migration in the UK by 100,000 people per year.

The changes included tightening access to skilled worker visas and a complete ban on the recruitment of overseas care staff.

Edinburgh luxury Indian restaurant owner Mohammad Abbas has warned that the changes could see “many Indian restaurants disappear”.

He said he is struggling to recruit tandoori chefs and experienced front-of-house staff under the new rules.

“Finding local experienced people is almost impossible,” he said.

Edinburgh luxury Indian restaurant owner, Mohammad Abbas, said the new rules have made it hard to recruit skilled chefs and front of house staff. STV News

“Local pools are really small, they prefer other industries than hospitality because of the hours and the pay. [The Government] also changed the salary threshold, which does not reflect the reality of small businesses.

“We cant bring the staff, it’s a disaster for us.”

He added that restaurants like his own can’t replace a tandoori master overnight, and he added that most chefs are abroad.

“If we cant get access to the chefs we need we cant really run the industry,” Mr Abbas said.

“You will see many Indian restaurants disappear. If you can’t get access to the new chefs the industry will collapse.”

In the care sector, the rule changes are also causing concern.

Around a quarter of the staff at Bandrum Nursing Home has come overseas, and managing director Rachel Payne said cutting off international recruitment is another blow the care industry.

“I don’t see how social care would work if all of our international staff were suddenly not with us,” Ms Payne said.

“We do advertise locally and invite people to interview, and often people just don’t come. That led us looking more widely to our international friends.”

Bandrum Nursing Home managing director, Rachel Payne, is worried the changes will put international staff off of staying in the UK and reduce workforce even further. STV News

She added: “When we have to add to our numbers, I’m not sure where we’ll be able to get them from”.

Ms Payne is worried that the changes will put international staff off of staying, and reduce the care sector workforce even further.

It has already caused hardship for senior care assistant Suni Jacob.

She joined the Bandrum nursing home team about a year ago, and she planned to come with her family, including her young children.

Bandrum Nursing Home senior care assistant, Suni Jacob, has had to leave her young family in India due to the rule changes. STV News

However, when the rules changed, she was no longer able to bring her family to Scotland with her. She had to leave them behind in India while she works towards becoming a nurse.

The Scottish Government has said it is now looking to other parts of the UK to fill gaps in staffing.

It has invested £500,000 to help “displaced” international social care workers who have found themselves without sponsored employment elsewhere in the UK.

Health secretary Neil Gray said: “The UK Government’s hostile and restrictive migration policies are damaging Scotland’s health and social care sector.

“In Scotland we need a migration system that works for our NHS, our social care sector, our businesses and third sector.

“I am therefore pleased to confirm today that the Scottish Government will create a bespoke offering to help social care workers who have been displaced to come to Scotland and contribute to our care sector.”