Project Description

Teppanyaki, a well-established Japanese restaurant in Leeds, is renowned for its authentic Teppanyaki-style cuisine and immersive dining experience. However, sourcing and retaining experienced chefs presented a significant challenge, as skilled Japanese chefs are in high demand and often require work visas to legally operate in the UK. Additionally, the restaurant needed a reliable system to manage immigration compliance for other team members with limited leave to remain, ensuring adherence to UK Home Office regulations.

The Challenge

1. Sourcing Skilled Talent from Overseas: Teppanyaki required an experienced Teppanyaki chef to maintain their unique culinary offerings. However, navigating the complex sponsorship and visa process posed significant challenges, including meeting strict compliance requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

2. Managing Ongoing Immigration Compliance: With a team that includes eight migrants, Teppanyaki faced the burden of tracking visa expirations, managing compliance tasks, and avoiding costly penalties. The hospitality industry is particularly vulnerable to fines, with penalties of up to £60,000 per illegal worker or imprisonment for non-compliance.

3. Time and Resource Constraints: Running a busy restaurant left little time for administrative tasks, making it difficult to stay on top of evolving immigration requirements.

Our Solution

To address Teppanyaki’s challenges, IBIAB Systems Ltd implemented the Compliance Management System (CMS), a cutting-edge SaaS platform designed to automate and simplify immigration compliance. Key features of the solution included:

• Customizable Compliance Workflows:
  Teppanyaki used pre-configured and tailored workflows to streamline compliance tasks, from sponsorship management to visa tracking. Tasks were automatically assigned to designated account managers, ensuring deadlines were met.

• Automated Alerts and Notifications:
  The CMS proactively monitored visa expirations and compliance review dates, sending real-time notifications to avoid costly penalties.

• Built-In Business Sponsorship Management:
  Teppanyaki utilized the platform’s sponsorship license management tools to efficiently handle their responsibilities as a sponsor, including the chef’s visa process.

• E-Signing Features:
  The CMS enabled Teppanyaki to digitally manage contracts and required forms, saving time and ensuring secure document storage.

• Powerful Data Management Tools:
  The platform provided detailed reporting and document tracking, allowing Teppanyaki to remain audit-ready while focusing on delivering exceptional dining experiences.