Hospitality to be hit by reintroduction of visa restrictions
The reintroduction of working restrictions on international students is likely to worsen staff shortages and service standards across the hospitality industry.
Restrictions are set to come back in on 1 July, after student visa constraints were lifted during the pandemic.
Melbourne, restaurateur Manpreet Sekhon of Masti and Elchi told Good Food that students were vital and made up around 99 per cent of her workforce.
Executive chef Junda Khoo of Ho Jiak in Sydney has spent three years training students to become chefs and to fill roles taken by skilled migrants.
“They really helped us return to normal,” Khoo says.
“During COVID, they didn’t receive any income support, but they hung around and stayed back to fight and survive. Now, we’ll have to cut their hours back.”
On 1 July, student vias holders will go back to pre-pandemic restrictions including working just 48 hours per fortnight (about three shifts a week).
Restaurants, bars and cafes will suffer.
“International students … play a significant role in contributing to the growth of our hospitality industry and the economy,” Merivale chief executive officer Justin Hemmes told Good Food.
“The increase implemented by the previous government … was a big relief for us, so any winding back of that is, of course, detrimental to our industry and to the individuals.”
Sydney cocktail bar Maybe Sammy co-founder Stefano Catino says the reintroduction of restrictions is too soon.
“While [the labour shortage] isn’t as bad as it was, the problem hasn’t been solved. We still need skilled workers,” he said.
“Once the restrictions come in, I’ll have to hire two people to do the job of one … or go back to opening just four days a week.
“Everyone is going to suffer from this. I want to make it very clear: this is going to be a problem.”
Students will also be affected.
Gautam Timalsina worries he won’t be able to make a living. The 23-year-old is a chef de partie-in-training and has been studying commercial cookery while working full-time at Al Dente Enoteca in Melbourne’s Carlton.
He told Good Food, “Almost half of my pay will be gone, just like that.”
Al Dente Enoteca co-owner Michelle Badek hopes the move doesn’t deter students from coming to Australia to work.
“I hope [the student working cap] doesn’t deter young people from coming to Australia,” Badek says.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil defended the move.
“I do not think too many Australians are going to love the idea of people coming here as international students and effectively using that as a pathway to becoming a full-time worker in our country.
“They are either here as students or they are here as workers.”
However, Kingsford International Institute in Sydney marketing manager Sandra Arias said that while most students are studying they are improving their qualifications.
“They’ve been worried about these restrictions. Imagine having your wages halved during a cost-of-living crisis, when rent prices are so ridiculous.”
What we could see more of are fewer customers on busy nights, QR codes, simpler service and less attention to detail.
Jonathan Jackson, 12th June 2023
