Curry community facing “devastation”

New Earned Settlement rules on immigration set to leave curry community “facing devastation”

The curry industry is claiming that the government’s proposed changes to the ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) rules with a new ‘Earned Settlement’ model due to come into effect from April next year, will leave Asian chefs, skilled professionals, and business owners, “in limbo, distressed, and facing financial ruin”.

Since the new model proposed in July will extending the period required by business owners and skilled professionals from 5 to 10 years, (or 15 years for those working below RQF Level 6).

Rajesh Suri, Founder of the Asian Restaurant Skills Board, said: “All across the Asian food industry, I am hearing that businesses are in crisis. Not only are they struggling with high prices and tax rises but now their staff could face a further 10 years of insecurity, preventing them from fully integrating or investing in the very communities they serve.”

Many of the industry’s most skilled chefs and restaurant managers find themselves falling below the RQF Level 6 academic threshold, and as a result, they are being penalised just for choosing to hone their culinary expertise through decades of experience, rather than university degrees.

Oli Khan MBE, National  President of the Bangladesh Caterers Association-UK said “The RQF Level 6 rule is leaving many industry top chefs demoralised and businesses unable to attract and retain the specialised chefs needed to preserve culinary standards in the UK. Without these artisan chefs, who are the cornerstones of every Asian food business, the industry will lose its vibrancy and the billions it contributes to the UK economy will be hit hard.”

According to latest figures there has already been a 36% decrease in the number of immigrants granted work-related visas in the UK this year, and with these new rules expected to take effect from April 2026, this is likely to decrease even further.

Nepalese chef Binod Barel commented: “All Asian restaurants employ migrants and will be hit hard by these Home Office rule changes. The UK Asian food industry needs to be able to attract skilled chefs from overseas who understand true, authentic, artisan cookery, otherwise their talent will go elsewhere.”

Yawar Khan, Chair of the Asian Catering Federation added:“Taking away our skilled workforce or demoralizing them to the point of departure is akin to removing the ventilator from a patient in recovery.

“The Asian Catering Federation and its members support a strong, fair and efficient immigration system however, without policies that protect commitment, skills and contribution, the heartbeat of our industry will stop beating.”

Lutfur Rahman, Immigration Adviser and CEO of Work Permit Cloud adds: “Having worked in immigration practice for over two decades, I have seen how sudden policy shifts can destabilise lawful, hard-working communities. The Asian catering sector has always complied with UK laws, paid its taxes, and contributed enormously to the economy. Removing the 5-year settlement pathway for skilled workers already in the UK and replacing it with a much longer route that disadvantages those without academic qualifications is deeply unfair and risks being unlawful.