VISA Information
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In the Case Where Several Chefs are Needed for a Restaurant Serving Foreign Cuisine
I presently run a Nepalese restaurant in Japan. Since I am planning to open another one soon, I have decided to hire several excellent chefs from my country to work there. Please advise me on how I go about starting their application process.
There are some very crucial steps to follow in order for foreign chefs to obtain their status of residence through working at a restaurant – here are just two of them: 1. Does the job require having more than one person do it? 2. How absolutely necessary is it to have a second chef do the above job?
In the case of Nepalese cuisine, curry and naan will most probably be on the menu. If so, then you should explain to the Immigration Bureau that two chefs are definitely necessary – one with excellent spice-blending skill to cook the curry, and another who is experienced in properly baking the naan.
Furthermore, as an employer you must create the proper working conditions and offer your staff fair employment contracts. If you decided to run the restaurant with only one chef, you might possibly be violating the Labor Standards Law regarding the number of hours a single employee can work. This is also a good argument for the hiring of more than one chef, and should be brought to the attention of the Immigration Bureau when starting the application process.
(From April Issue 2011)
Advisor: TATEDA Jun (Immigration Lawyer)
