Brexit, woof. Not to call the kettle blackโmy country elected a racist Halloween-themed Staypuff Marshmallow Man presidentโbut it could be argued that Britain leaving the European Union was a bit, well, let’s say shortsighted. And itโs going to affect how the country gets caffeinated. More than raising the price of a cup of coffee, Brexit is expected to cause a labor shortage in cafes and restaurants, both often staffed by EU nationals.
To combat this, Britain is looking to offer โBarista Visas.โ These short-term work permits allow non-Brits to work in the โlow-skilled sector,โ but asย Timeย reports, the measure is being โroundly criticized for not going far enough.โ
The Barista Visa was proposed by Migration Watch UK, a right-wing think tank, whose chairman Andrew Green believes will โkill two birds with one stoneโ by โmeet[ing] the needs of pubs and restaurants and maintain[ing] [Britainโs] links with young Europeans by allowing them to come for a strictly limited period of two years to work.”
Critics of the measure believe it doesnโt properly incentivize EU nationals to move to Britain because there is no hope becoming a permanent resident. As Stephen Bush puts it in the New Statesman:
The Barista Visa is still just a proposal, so whoโs to say if Britain will double down on the myopia. All I know is, with this impending barista shortage, if I were a fair citizen of Blighty, Iโd open up a home coffee supply shop now.
Zac Cadwaladerย is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network.