The owner of a much-loved Italian restaurant in Fulham has warned changes to skilled worker visas will leave him without any waiters or kitchen porters.
Aaron Rutigliano, who runs Gola, has said a sharp increase in the minimum salary for workers coming from abroad could make it near impossible to run the restaurant.
The eatery is a favourite among Chelsea and Fulham footballers thanks to its proximity to Stamford Bridge and Craven Cottage.
Mr Rutigliano, 50, who lists Italian Arsenal midfielder Jorginho and former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte as friends, has raised concerns that incoming changes will mean he has to pay staff much higher wages.
From April 4 businesses will need to pay overseas workers they wish to sponsor on a skilled worker visa a minimum of £38,700 a year, a large increase from the current minimum salary of £26,200.
It’s part of wider Home Office changes to a raft of visas, in a bid to lower net migration in the UK.
Mr Rutigliano, who sells John Terry’s wine, said: “Explain to us how we hire a [kitchen porter] or waiter.
“It has become a nightmare. They shut down many restaurants every day in London.
“They have increased the price of ingredients, wine, spirits, people don’t go out anymore they just go out at weekends. The cost of living is crazy.
“If I were to make money and cover all the expenses I would have to increase the price on everything. I would have to sell a bowl of pasta for £25 or £35.”
The restaurant owner added that even if he hired staff who do not have skilled worker visas, the changes will drive up wages.
He continued: “Even if they are not qualified skilled workers the waiters and kitchen porters will demand that annual salary, and considering the great shortage of staff, they will take advantage of it and we would have no choice but to accept their requests.”
Mr Rutigliano warned that “visas and Brexit together” are leading Italian, French and Spanish workers to swap London for cities such as Madrid, Barcelona and Monte Carlo.
He continued: “There are fewer staff now and they want more money. Before we had a huge choice. I used to get 1,000 CVs every month, now I get 10 CVs.
“The situation gets worse month after month. The city has become very expensive, considering if you want to rent a single room you have to pay £1500 for a room.”
Businesses have been urgently making applications to employ skilled workers ahead of the planned salary increase on April 4.
Kelvin Tanner, a partner at law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, said there has been a rush in skilled worker visa applications. He warned the changes could put off businesses and entrepreneurs from investing in the UK.
He said: “Amongst our clients, we have seen the biggest rush to file applications within the hospitality, retail and manufacturing sectors and for regional roles that would be unable to meet the higher minimum salary thresholds when they are introduced.
“We have clients in the hospitality sector in London that were already finding it very difficult to fill vacancies for specialist chefs from within the UK following the end of EU free movement.”
Zoe Bantleman, legal director at the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association, told the Standard: “Our members have certainly seen an increase in the volume of applications made to sponsor Skilled Workers and the knock-on effect this has on the Home Office’s service levels.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister has made clear current levels of migration to the UK are far too high.
“That is why the Government announced a plan this week to decisively cut net migration and create a system that works for the British people.
“We have a longstanding principle that anyone bringing dependants to live in the UK must be able to financially support them.
“The Minimum Income Requirement ensures that families are self-sufficient instead of relying on public funds, with the ability to integrate if they are to play a full part in British life.”
