Asian chefs to get work permits more easily

Asian restaurants have been in discussion with Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs and benefits agency UWV about receiving work permits to attract top Asian chefs to their restaurants. The parties came to an agreement, which will be officially signed on Wednesday in Amsterdam, de Telegraaf reports. The Chinese Catering Entrepreneurs Association announced Monday that the so-called 'wok agreement' will put an end to the difficulty for Chinese and other Asian restaurants to draw specialized chefs to their businesses. De Telegraaf writes that a recent amendment to the foreign labor law made it more difficult for restaurants to get employment permits. This has caused some restaurants to have to close their doors. Steven van Weyenberg of the D66 brought up this issue in Parliament back in March. Minister Asscher at the time promised that he would discuss the issue with the Asian community.