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Amid worker shortage, Houston restaurant industry seeks immigration reform

Cooks at Hugo’s restaurant in Houston, Texas, prepare for the lunch shift.
Cooks at Hugo’s restaurant in Houston, Texas, prepare for the lunch shift.
Macie Kelly/Houston Public Media

The restaurant business predicts it will add 1.6 million jobs to the labor market by 2030, including more than 204,000 in Texas. As demand for workers grows, restaurants will have fewer young workers to hire from, according to National Restaurant Association projections. They estimate that in the next eight years, the national workforce will lose more than a million workers aged under 25. That age group represents nearly 40% of the restaurant industry’s current workforce, which is why many industry leaders are advocating for immigration reform. 

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