JHA: Migration Policy should be delayed until Brexit terms are known

Saturday 12 May 2018

The Jersey Hospitality Association is urging the next Chief Minister to wait until the implications of Brexit, specifically the rules governing who will be able to work in the Island, are known before committing to a Migration Policy.

A policy was published towards the end of last year, but the Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, decided to leave it for the next States Assembly, which begins in June.

Under the policy proposed, all new registered workers will be given time-limited permits for a period of up to 10 months if the nature of their work is “seasonal and temporary” or up to four years if employment is year-round. Workers using the latter won’t be allowed to work in the island again as registered employees once that permit has expired, therefore stopping them from gaining entitled status through five years’ residency. 

The new policy would also make all new migrants have to undergo a full background check and see photos added to registration cards to enhance compliance.

Pictured: Estimates of how Jersey's population will grow over the coming years. (Statistics Unit)

Figures released last summer by the Statistics Unit revealed that Jersey’s population had gone up to 104,200 – a net migration of 1,300 people in 2016 and 12,000 people over the past decade. While recognising the importance of managing the Island’s population, the JHA thinks it is only logical to know the rights of European citizens in Jersey – and, indeed, the rights of British citizens in Europe – before setting any local policy in stone.

Fiona Kerley, JHA President, said: “Jersey and its residents benefit in so many ways from a successful hospitality sector which requires a professional, committed and available workforce in order to thrive and meet the expectations of its clientele.

“Brexit uncertainty is already being felt by hospitality businesses in terms of recruitment difficulties, so the JHA are convinced that the Brexit arrangements must be fully settled and understood before any new migration policy is proposed in Jersey. We hope that whoever is the next Chief Minister will follow this common-sense approach."