How hospitality companies can cover their needs by hiring talent from abroad

The UK is home to a lucrative and vibrant hospitality industry. From classic tourist destinations to a melting pot of diverse cuisines—the British Isles are a prime destination for backpackers and locals alike.

The industry is also a significant contributor to the nation’s GDP, adding £59.3 billion in gross value to the economy, which is over 3% of the total economic output.

Hospitality was also home to 2.38 million jobs, which made up 6.9% of the UK labour force in 2020. This is despite the industry facing a severe shortage of skilled workers and being crippled by the lockdowns enforced to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Today, many hospitality businesses in the country are struggling to fill their ranks with skilled workers to take on responsibilities. From chefs and waiters to cleaners and room service, there is simply not enough local talent to fill all the available roles. This is in part due to local talent preferring to work in other industries.

So, what can hospitality businesses do to meet their staffing needs and keep up their standards of service? Turning to the immensely promising international labour market may be the key.

Why should hospitality businesses consider hiring from abroad?

While the ability to fill core skill gaps within the local labour market is the most obvious benefit of employee sponsorship for UK hospitality businesses, hiring talent from the international labour market brings many other benefits.

For instance, if you’re operating a hotel or restaurant, you can strengthen your kitchen team with experienced chefs, helpers, and other kitchen staff who are experts in various international cuisines. It’s also more likely that the international talent you’re hiring will already have experience in high-pressure environments like commercial kitchens, which can improve efficiency and reduce training times and costs.

Another benefit you can gain by combing the international labour market is that sponsored talent statistically yield higher retention rates.

If you’re considering the financial benefits of sponsoring skilled workers, then you should know that while you have to meet minimum salary requirements when you’re sponsoring, the overall labour cost you will incur in the long term will be less than hiring local talent.

You’ll also face less competition when sponsoring skilled workers, so you can assemble the most talented and skilled team possible to help you stand out from the competition.

How can hospitality businesses find the right talent?

If you’re convinced that hiring from the international labour market is the right route for your business, you can start your hiring process.

While finding the right talent used to be far more challenging, today, you can partner with specific recruitment agencies to find the right talent for your business.

You can also hire independently through advertising and referrals as well.

Keep in mind that if you decide to work with recruitment agencies, it’s important to choose one that specialises in the hospitality industry. This will give you the opportunity to hire from a wider pool of candidates that fulfil your requirements with ease.

You should also keep in mind that not all hospitality jobs are eligible for sponsorship through the Skilled Worker route. These roles include but are not limited to:

Receptionists
NCOs and other ranks
Ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)
Human resources and administrative occupations

How much does it cost to sponsor a hospitality worker?

The fees you need to pay will depend on the nature of your hire and the size of your organisation.

All sponsors in the UK, however, will need to bear the cost of a sponsor licence, which can range from £536 if you’re a small sponsor and £1,476 if you’re a large or medium-scale organisation.

Other costs might include the cost of the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), the immigration skills charge, and the immigration health surcharge (if you agree to pay it on behalf of your sponsored worker). You may also need to meet the minimum salary requirements for the job role you are hiring for.

How can Nation.better help you?

At Nation.better, we provide end-to-end immigration services that make the process of sponsoring hospitality workers in the UK easier for you and your chosen candidate. We can also help you find the right people through our recruitment services.

Get in touch with our team if you’d like to learn more about how we can support you.

How hospitality companies can cover their needs by hiring talent from abroad