Foodservice industry leaders are warning the State Department that new visa screening procedures implemented in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks are creating workforce shortages for operators across the country.
In a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell, the National Restaurant Association joins with scores of other industry groups in warning that the "severe delays and uncertainty surrounding visa issuance for legitimate applicants has resulted in lost business opportunities for U.S. companies…loss of jobs in some industries, workforce shortages, and other economic stresses."
Impact beginning: NRA acknowledges the "critical importance of our system for screening foreign nationals for visas," though adds that the economic effects of the present restrictions are beginning to injure the U.S. economy.
"International visitors not only support one million jobs in the U.S. travel and tourism industries, they also provide needed workforce when U.S. workers are unavailable," NRA writes.
"Because of the negative impacts to the economy and other national interests, we strongly urge you to devote all necessary resources to streamlining these new security procedures, and frankly evaluate the resource needs of any future planned changes (such as increasing visa interviews)," the letter concludes.