Five immigrant chefs were facing a legal bill running into thousands of pounds after losing a High Court test case concerning new rules requiring workers to learn English and "life in the UK".
The five included three Malaysian nationals who came to the UK in 2002 - Siew Leong Cheong, 36, of Kingsley Road, Bicester, Chong Muei Ooi, 34, of Mayfield Street, Glasgow, and Poh Ann Lim, 37, who works in a Cantonese takeaway in Madeley, Telford, Shropshire.
Mr Justice Mitting, sitting at the High Court in London, rejected all grounds of challenge in a case with potential implications for tens of thousands of other immigrant workers.
He said the requirement immigrant workers should learn about English and UK life was intended to improve "social cohesion".
The judge ordered the five, who were not legally aided, to pay the legal costs of the Home Secretary, who successfully resisted their challenge.
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