In Letter to Congress, Hundreds of Small Business Owners and Allies Urge Action on the Slate of Immigration Reform Policies Recently Released by the IRC

Washington, D.C. (December 10, 2025) – Over 500 independent restaurant, bar, and business owners and their supporters have signed a letter calling on Congressional leadership to act on the Independent Restaurant Coalition’s (IRC) immigration reform recommendations. These common-sense policies are designed to stabilize the restaurant workforce and strengthen the food economy. The letter sends a clear message to Congress: the current immigration system does not reflect the realities of restaurant work and it’s holding small businesses back.

“The IRC”s immigration policy recommendations were built by independent restaurant and bar owners,” says Erika Polmar, executive director. “Congress must act. Our communities depend on a modern, fair, and efficient immigration system that reflects the real skill, professionalism and contributions of restaurant workers across the country.”

The IRC’s letter states: “Independent restaurants and bars are powerful economic engines and cultural anchors in every community across the country. Together, they generate more than $1.37 trillion in direct economic output, support $3.5 trillion in overall GDP, and employ more people than nearly any other sector. Our industry sustains millions of small farms, vineyards, breweries, and local suppliers, and serves as a critical pathway for entrepreneurship and upward mobility.

Despite that impact, restaurants operate on razor-thin margins and face growing challenges finding and retaining staff. The problem isn’t a shortage of willing workers — it’s a shortage of accessible, lawful, and practical immigration pathways for the people who already power our kitchens and dining rooms. Outdated visa systems and slow federal processing times make it harder for small businesses to stay open, serve their communities, and contribute to the nation’s economic vitality.

Independent restaurants depend upon lawful, reliable avenues to hire and retain the people who make their businesses possible. Yet the existing framework for work authorization and employment-based visas has not kept pace with the needs of today’s workforce or small business economy.”

The IRC’s recommendations for meaningful reform include:

• Recognize food and hospitality professionals as skilled workers. Culinary and service careers demand expertise, precision, and leadership developed through years of hands-on experience and industry certification, not only formal academic degrees. Reclassifying these roles as skilled occupations would reflect the true nature of the work, open visa pathways that currently exclude most hospitality professionals, and help stabilize a vital sector of the American workforce.
• Establish practical, lawful hiring pathways for small independent restaurants. Current visa programs were designed for large corporations and seasonal industries, not for year-round, community-based small businesses. Updating employment-based visas to include small-business carve-outs, reduced fees, and streamlined compliance would make them accessible to independent operators. Renewable, multi-year visas and in-country renewal options would allow restaurants to retain experienced employees and continue contributing to local economies through steady payroll and tax payments.
• Provide consistent and predictable enforcement of immigration laws. Independent restaurants rely on stability to plan, hire, and invest in their teams. Constantly shifting enforcement priorities between administrations creates fear and uncertainty for both employers and employees. Clear, consistent rules applied evenly across the country would allow small businesses to focus on compliance, growth, and job creation, rather than survival from one policy cycle to the next.

  “Restaurant work is skilled labor. Full stop. An updated definition by the Department of Labor would be a tremendous win – unlocking visa opportunities, workforce development grants, and so much more for an industry that desperately needs relief. I’m thrilled to support this initiative, and the IRC’s continued efforts to professionalize the hospitality industry,” says Andrew Zimmern, IRC founding member and chef, writer and TV host.

  “Independent restaurants are what make our communities unique. We support cultural events and non-profits that are vital to the infrastructure of our cities,” says Adam Orman, co-owner, L'Oca d'Oro & Bambino, Austin, TX, and IRC Board Member. "But, we have little margin for error and depend on the reliability of our tight-knit teams; when our workers question their security, it jeopardizes the stability of our small businesses. And our businesses rely on that security to continue to be economic engines. It is time for our legislation to reflect the realities of modern restaurant work. Strengthening this sector means strengthening everything it touches and solidifying the foundation and safety net of our communities.”

  About the Independent Restaurant Coalition

  In March 2020, the restaurant and bar community formed the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC) to save the independent restaurants and bars from the devastating impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic. We continue to fight to create meaningful change for independent restaurants and bars nationwide by providing strong advocacy centered on making sure that independent businesses are being seen, heard and supported by federal policy makers. For more information or to sign up for newsletters, please visit independentrestaurantcoalition.com

  Press Contact: Sarah Abell at [email protected]