Michelin-starred French chef Thierry Marx says undeclared foreign employees in the hotel, restaurant and catering sectors should be recognised for their skills and given resident permits to stay in France, reports RFI.
This call comes as the government this week unveiled the outline of its new immigration bill, due to be validated by the parliament in early 2023.
Marx, who was named director of the main employers' union in the hotel and catering industry (Umih) in October says although the Covid pandemic exacerbated recruitment difficulties, the problems themselves are not new.
Restaurants, construction work, agriculture – many sectors in France regularly face a labour shortage and turn to foreign workers, many who do not have legal paperwork.
To deal with this issue, the government is proposing to create a residence permit linked to jobs in sectors with labour shortages, a list of which is still to be finalised.
"Our sector, catering, should already be considered to be under recruitment pressure,” Marx told the Journal du Dimanche weekly last Sunday.