Joo Gye Son and her husband Il Seong Lee, owners of the popular Kang Chon restaurant, have been forced to close their dine-in service because they have no wait staff.
The couple has been in business for 24 years and spent about half that time in the current premises.
However, they have been forced to stop their dine-in service because they can’t find any front-of-house or wait staff and are currently operating their restaurant as takeaway only.
Restaurant Association’s chief executive Marisa Bidois described the industry’s staffing situation as beyond critical and that shortages are prevalent.
The association campaigned to have the Government intervene with visa extensions for work visas and allow border exemptions for critical workers.
The Reset campaign has resulted in the extension of some temporary work visas, which has relieved some immediate pressure. However, New Zealand is still operating with a dramatically reduced workforce.
