LONDON, Aug 29: The UK-based Asian catering industry has expressed serious concern over the new British immigration laws, saying that it would badly hurt their businesses.

These fears were expressed at a joint seminar on the new British points-based system held at the Pakistan High Commission and arranged by the Pakistan Restaurant Owners Association (PROA-UK).

The other stakeholders included the Immigration Advisory Service, UK Border Agency and Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner.

Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan in his brief opening remarks said the Asian curry industry had been playing a positive role in the development of the British economy and the new regulations would certainly hurt it.

Others who spoke at the seminar included Neelofar Khan, chairperson of the PROA-UK; Keith Best, chief executive of the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS); Hugh Ind, area director, UK Border Agency; Bob George, assistant director, UK Border Agency; and Suzanne McCarthy, Immigration Services Commissioner.

Mr Best explained the objectives of IAS and said it was the UK’s largest charity providing confidential legal advice and representation in immigration and asylum law from the first advice to ultimate appeal.

He said the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain was now five years instead of previous four years.

About the difficulties of the caterers, Mr Best said that under the new rules, they were put in Tier 2 which meant they required National Vocational Qualification 3-level job, needed to pass English language test and get a salary of 21,000 pounds per annum to qualify for a job in UK.

Mr Ind said UK Borders Act which received Royal Assent in November 2007, empowered the Secretary of State and the Border and Immigration Agency to impose residence and reporting conditions upon any person granted leave to enter or remain in the UK, unless that grant was for an indefinite period.