Important Updates
Important Updates
May 21, 2025 | United StatesUnited States: Protecting Against Immigration Fraud Schemes
May 21, 2025 | United KingdomLBN: Youth Mobility is a Good Start - But Britain’s Immigration System Still Needs a Business Reset
May 21, 2025 | United StatesNegocios Now Names Associate Ana Gabriela Urizar to NYC-TriState Latinos 40 Under 40 Class of 2025
May 21, 2025 | South AfricaSouth Africa: Extended Duration of Stay for Nationals of Lesotho
May 21, 2025 | United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates: Reminder of 2025 Deadline for Mainland Private Sector Employers to Increase Emiratization Rate
May 21, 2025 | United StatesUnited States: Protecting Against Immigration Fraud Schemes
May 21, 2025 | United KingdomLBN: Youth Mobility is a Good Start - But Britain’s Immigration System Still Needs a Business Reset
May 21, 2025 | United StatesNegocios Now Names Associate Ana Gabriela Urizar to NYC-TriState Latinos 40 Under 40 Class of 2025
May 21, 2025 | South AfricaSouth Africa: Extended Duration of Stay for Nationals of Lesotho
May 21, 2025 | United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates: Reminder of 2025 Deadline for Mainland Private Sector Employers to Increase Emiratization Rate
May 21, 2025 | United StatesUnited States: Protecting Against Immigration Fraud Schemes
Subscribe
Fragomen.com home
Select Language
  • English
  • French
  • French - Canadian
  • German

Select Language

  • English
  • French
  • French - Canadian
  • German
ContactCareersMedia
Search Fragomen.com
  • Our Services
    For EmployersFor IndividualsBy IndustryCase Studies
  • Our Tech & Innovation
  • Our People
  • Our Insights
    Worldwide Immigration Trends ReportsImmigration AlertsEventsMedia MentionsFragomen NewsBlogsPodcastsVideos
  • Spotlights
    Navigating Immigration Under the Second Trump AdministrationHumanitarian and Evolving Legal Pathways (HELP)Vietnamese ImmigrationImmigration Matters: Your U.S. Compliance RoadmapFragomen Consulting EuropeAustralian Immigration: New Skills in Demand Visa
  • About Us
    About FragomenOfficesResponsible Business PracticesFirm GovernanceRecognition

Our Services

  • For Employers
  • For Individuals
  • By Industry
  • Case Studies

Our Tech & Innovation

  • Our Approach

Our People

  • Overview / Directory

Our Insights

  • Worldwide Immigration Trends Reports
  • Immigration Alerts
  • Events
  • Media Mentions
  • Fragomen News
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Spotlights

  • Navigating Immigration Under the Second Trump Administration
  • Humanitarian and Evolving Legal Pathways (HELP)
  • Vietnamese Immigration
  • Immigration Matters: Your U.S. Compliance Roadmap
  • Fragomen Consulting Europe
  • Australian Immigration: New Skills in Demand Visa

About Us

  • About Fragomen
  • Offices
  • Responsible Business Practices
  • Firm Governance
  • Recognition
Select Language
  • English
  • French
  • French - Canadian
  • German

Select Language

  • English
  • French
  • French - Canadian
  • German
ContactCareersMedia
  • Insights

Spotlight on: The Hospitality Sector and Skills Shortages

August 17, 2022

Leisure-Hospitality-Industry

Countries / Territories

  • United KingdomUnited Kingdom
  • GermanyGermany
  • AustraliaAustralia

Related contacts

Charlotte-Wills

Charlotte Wills

Partner

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0) 20 7090 9130

Harry Goldstraw - web porthole

Harry Goldstraw

Manager

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0)207 090 9299

Porthole headshot image of [Frankfurt][SeniorManager][NimaSarvari]

Nima Sarvari

Partner

Frankfurt, Germany

Email

[email protected]

T:+49 69 506 029497

View all professionals

Related industries

  • Hospitality, Travel and Leisure

Related offices

  • London
  • Sheffield
  • Frankfurt
  • Brisbane
  • Melbourne
  • Perth
  • Sydney

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Related contacts

Charlotte-Wills

Charlotte Wills

Partner

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0) 20 7090 9130

Harry Goldstraw - web porthole

Harry Goldstraw

Manager

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0)207 090 9299

Porthole headshot image of [Frankfurt][SeniorManager][NimaSarvari]

Nima Sarvari

Partner

Frankfurt, Germany

Email

[email protected]

T:+49 69 506 029497

View all professionals

Related industries

  • Hospitality, Travel and Leisure

Related offices

  • London
  • Sheffield
  • Frankfurt
  • Brisbane
  • Melbourne
  • Perth
  • Sydney

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Related contacts

Charlotte-Wills

Charlotte Wills

Partner

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0) 20 7090 9130

Harry Goldstraw - web porthole

Harry Goldstraw

Manager

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0)207 090 9299

Porthole headshot image of [Frankfurt][SeniorManager][NimaSarvari]

Nima Sarvari

Partner

Frankfurt, Germany

Email

[email protected]

T:+49 69 506 029497

View all professionals

Related industries

  • Hospitality, Travel and Leisure

Related offices

  • London
  • Sheffield
  • Frankfurt
  • Brisbane
  • Melbourne
  • Perth
  • Sydney

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

By: Charlotte Wills, Harry Goldstraw, Nima Sarvari, Chris Spentzaris

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused a series of challenges that many corners of the economy are still tackling. One of the most impacted sectors continues to be hospitality and tourism, where the workforce has been affected by both the end of free movement after Brexit and those returning overseas during the pandemic. A recent study by The Migration Observatory reports that EU employment in London saw just under a 30% decline in the hospitality sector from June 2019 to June 2021.

Skills shortages in the UK

Ongoing labour shortages have significant consequences for hospitality businesses across the UK, where EU employees now account for 28% of the hospitality workforce, down from 42% before the pandemic. Many hotels are instituting occupancy caps as staff shortages outstrip demand, restaurants reduce covers due to a lack of chefs and wait staff, and other hospitality businesses are limiting opening hours despite a return to pre-pandemic customer demand.

The UK’s current immigration system, introduced in 2021, made sponsored visas more flexible than they were in the previous system. However, the system does not allow for individuals to be sponsored in certain roles, deemed ‘lower skilled’ or ‘lower paid,’ despite many of these roles being in high demand across the hospitality sector.

Shortage Occupation List

The UK’s upcoming review of the Shortage Occupation List (SOL), expected during the third quarter of 2022, is awaited by the sector. It provides an opportunity for those in the hospitality industry to demonstrate which roles they are struggling to recruit and the subsequent impact on their businesses. This will be the first time a SOL review has taken place since Brexit and the pandemic.

To be considered for the SOL, a role must be deemed to be in high demand, difficult to fill with the resident labour force and therefore suitable for overseas workers. Roles appearing on the SOL benefit from both lower salary thresholds for sponsorship and reduced visa application fees. If the hospitality sector provides strong data evidencing the difficulties in recruiting these roles from the resident labour market, this could support easing the immigration rules for specific roles within the sector, allowing for visa sponsorship and paving the way for further overseas recruitment.

The global hospitality sector

In response to the challenges facing the hospitality sector, many European countries are attempting to address labour shortages through proposed policy reform. For example, Germany is currently discussing a reform of the immigration law to simplify the application requirements to fill vacancies in the hospitality industry with foreign workers. The present labour shortages are exacerbated by long processing times and appointment availability for work visas, with applicants reportedly being advised to apply at least three months in advance.

Further afield in Australia, demand for staff in the hospitality sector has hit record highs. Staff shortages have forced businesses to embark on overseas hiring campaigns to find chefs, sommeliers and front-of-house managers. Despite Australia’s international borders now being open post-pandemic, the backpackers, international students and visa holders that played a vital role in Australia’s hospitality industry have not returned at pre-pandemic levels.

Australia has recently had a change in government, and a Jobs and Skills Summit is being held on 1-2 September 2022 to bring together employers, state governments, unions and other peak industry bodies to address the country’s skills shortages. Improving the migration settings to support higher productivity and wages is on the agenda, and the government has announced it will prioritise the skilled worker visas.

As an interim measure, the government has extended the hours cap international students are eligible to fulfil, allowing them to work full-time hours. In the hospitality sector, the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List includes the occupation of ‘Chef,’ which means visa applications for chefs are processed with priority status.

In the UK, at least in the short term, employers must rely on niche routes to make full use of existing immigration programmes. The Youth Mobility scheme allows two years’ work permission in any role without sponsorship but is limited to certain nationalities and has an age requirement for the applicant. International students are also allowed to work part-time in limited circumstances, depending on their course of study. The sector is also well placed to support Ukrainian nationals fleeing the political crisis in Europe, who may look to resettle in the UK under the various visa schemes in place. The High Potential Individual route, introduced in May 2022, may also provide a route for some individuals.

Looking ahead, the sector will look to the opportunities of the Shortage Occupation List review once announced and will be ready to contribute with supporting evidence of staff shortages faced, along with explanations regarding the true impact on their businesses.

Need to know more?

For further information on the UK, please contact Charlotte Wills at [email protected] and Harry Goldstraw at [email protected]. For further information on Germany and Australia, please contact Nima Sarvari at [email protected] and Chris Spentzaris at [email protected], respectively.

This blog was published on Wednesday, 17 August 2022, and due to the circumstances, there are frequent changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please visit our dedicated COVID-19 site, subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Countries / Territories

  • United KingdomUnited Kingdom
  • GermanyGermany
  • AustraliaAustralia

Related contacts

Charlotte-Wills

Charlotte Wills

Partner

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0) 20 7090 9130

Harry Goldstraw - web porthole

Harry Goldstraw

Manager

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0)207 090 9299

Porthole headshot image of [Frankfurt][SeniorManager][NimaSarvari]

Nima Sarvari

Partner

Frankfurt, Germany

Email

[email protected]

T:+49 69 506 029497

View all professionals

Related industries

  • Hospitality, Travel and Leisure

Related offices

  • London
  • Sheffield
  • Frankfurt
  • Brisbane
  • Melbourne
  • Perth
  • Sydney

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Related contacts

Charlotte-Wills

Charlotte Wills

Partner

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0) 20 7090 9130

Harry Goldstraw - web porthole

Harry Goldstraw

Manager

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0)207 090 9299

Porthole headshot image of [Frankfurt][SeniorManager][NimaSarvari]

Nima Sarvari

Partner

Frankfurt, Germany

Email

[email protected]

T:+49 69 506 029497

View all professionals

Related industries

  • Hospitality, Travel and Leisure

Related offices

  • London
  • Sheffield
  • Frankfurt
  • Brisbane
  • Melbourne
  • Perth
  • Sydney

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Related contacts

Charlotte-Wills

Charlotte Wills

Partner

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0) 20 7090 9130

Harry Goldstraw - web porthole

Harry Goldstraw

Manager

London, United Kingdom

Email

[email protected]

T:+44 (0)207 090 9299

Porthole headshot image of [Frankfurt][SeniorManager][NimaSarvari]

Nima Sarvari

Partner

Frankfurt, Germany

Email

[email protected]

T:+49 69 506 029497

View all professionals

Related industries

  • Hospitality, Travel and Leisure

Related offices

  • London
  • Sheffield
  • Frankfurt
  • Brisbane
  • Melbourne
  • Perth
  • Sydney

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Explore more at Fragomen

Media mentions

LBN: Youth Mobility is a Good Start - But Britain’s Immigration System Still Needs a Business Reset

UK Managing Partner Nadine Goldfoot reflects on how the UK’s immigration system might adapt to better support business and short-term mobility.

Learn more

Awards

Negocios Now Names Associate Ana Gabriela Urizar to NYC-TriState Latinos 40 Under 40 Class of 2025

Negocios Now names Associate Ana Gabriela Urizar to its NYC-TriState Latinos 40 Under 40 Class of 2025 list.

Learn more

Video

Digital Nomad Visas Explained: How to Travel and Work Remotely

Learn the key requirements for digital nomad visas and find out which countries you can apply to as a remote worker or freelancer. 

Learn more

Media mentions

Financial Times Adviser: Relocating to the UK: An Immigration Lawyer’s Guide for US clients

Practice Leader Olga Nechita provides practical guidance on navigating UK immigration routes, settlement options and key considerations for applicants.

Learn more

Video

New DOLE Rules for Employing Foreign Nationals | #MobilityMinute

Senior Business Immigration Consultant Missy Mae Makil discusses the new DOLE rules for employing foreign nationals in the Philippines.

Learn more

Media mentions

Research Professional News: Immigration White Paper Offers Employers Costs without Clarity

UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit examines how the UK’s new Immigration White Paper could affect talent mobility and growth in the life sciences sector.

Learn more

Media mentions

An Interview with Partner Abeer Al Husseini (الاقتصادية)

Partner Abeer Al Husseini discusses recent changes in Saudi Arabia's commercial regulations, their impact on international businesses and how they support Vision 2030.

Learn more

Awards

Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries Win "Partnership with an International Charity" at Better Society 2025 Awards

Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries received the “Partnership with an International Charity” award at the 10th Annual Better Society Awards.

Learn more

Blog post

Freelance Licence in the UAE: What You Need to Know in 2025

Corporate Services Director Elena Caron outlines essential information and updates regarding obtaining a freelance licence in the UAE, highlighting key requirements and benefits for freelancers.

Learn more

Media mentions

Global Mobility Lawyer: Immigration White Paper Sends Message That the UK is “Closed for Business”

Partner Rajiv Naik discussed how UK employers can prepare for immigration reforms by reviewing policies and aligning mobility with workforce planning.

Learn more

Blog post

A System Reset Presents Challenges and Opportunities: The UK’s Immigration White Paper in Focus

UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit discusses how the UK’s Immigration White Paper presents both challenges and opportunities, highlighting the need for a system reset to address immigration issues effectively.

Learn more

Media mentions

AMCHAM Luxembourg: Interview – Virginie Todesco, Fragomen

Immigration Manager Virginie Todesco highlights how Luxembourg’s clear immigration system and strategic reforms attract global talent and employers.

Learn more

Media mentions

LBN: Youth Mobility is a Good Start - But Britain’s Immigration System Still Needs a Business Reset

UK Managing Partner Nadine Goldfoot reflects on how the UK’s immigration system might adapt to better support business and short-term mobility.

Learn more

Awards

Negocios Now Names Associate Ana Gabriela Urizar to NYC-TriState Latinos 40 Under 40 Class of 2025

Negocios Now names Associate Ana Gabriela Urizar to its NYC-TriState Latinos 40 Under 40 Class of 2025 list.

Learn more

Video

Digital Nomad Visas Explained: How to Travel and Work Remotely

Learn the key requirements for digital nomad visas and find out which countries you can apply to as a remote worker or freelancer. 

Learn more

Media mentions

Financial Times Adviser: Relocating to the UK: An Immigration Lawyer’s Guide for US clients

Practice Leader Olga Nechita provides practical guidance on navigating UK immigration routes, settlement options and key considerations for applicants.

Learn more

Video

New DOLE Rules for Employing Foreign Nationals | #MobilityMinute

Senior Business Immigration Consultant Missy Mae Makil discusses the new DOLE rules for employing foreign nationals in the Philippines.

Learn more

Media mentions

Research Professional News: Immigration White Paper Offers Employers Costs without Clarity

UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit examines how the UK’s new Immigration White Paper could affect talent mobility and growth in the life sciences sector.

Learn more

Media mentions

An Interview with Partner Abeer Al Husseini (الاقتصادية)

Partner Abeer Al Husseini discusses recent changes in Saudi Arabia's commercial regulations, their impact on international businesses and how they support Vision 2030.

Learn more

Awards

Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries Win "Partnership with an International Charity" at Better Society 2025 Awards

Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries received the “Partnership with an International Charity” award at the 10th Annual Better Society Awards.

Learn more

Blog post

Freelance Licence in the UAE: What You Need to Know in 2025

Corporate Services Director Elena Caron outlines essential information and updates regarding obtaining a freelance licence in the UAE, highlighting key requirements and benefits for freelancers.

Learn more

Media mentions

Global Mobility Lawyer: Immigration White Paper Sends Message That the UK is “Closed for Business”

Partner Rajiv Naik discussed how UK employers can prepare for immigration reforms by reviewing policies and aligning mobility with workforce planning.

Learn more

Blog post

A System Reset Presents Challenges and Opportunities: The UK’s Immigration White Paper in Focus

UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit discusses how the UK’s Immigration White Paper presents both challenges and opportunities, highlighting the need for a system reset to address immigration issues effectively.

Learn more

Media mentions

AMCHAM Luxembourg: Interview – Virginie Todesco, Fragomen

Immigration Manager Virginie Todesco highlights how Luxembourg’s clear immigration system and strategic reforms attract global talent and employers.

Learn more

Stay in touch

Subscribe to receive our latest immigration alerts

Subscribe

Our firm

  • About
  • Careers
  • Firm Governance
  • Media Inquiries
  • Recognition

Information

  • Attorney Advertising
  • Legal Notices
  • Privacy Policies
  • UK Regulatory Requirements

Our firm

  • About
  • Careers
  • Firm Governance
  • Media Inquiries
  • Recognition

Information

  • Attorney Advertising
  • Legal Notices
  • Privacy Policies
  • UK Regulatory Requirements

Have a question?

Contact Us
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

© 2025 Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, Fragomen Global LLP and affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

Please note that the content made available on this site is not intended for visitors / customers located in the province of Quebec, and the information provided is not applicable to the Quebec market. To access relevant information that applies to the Quebec market, please click here.