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Estimates from industry representatives suggesting that 4,000 foreign hospitality workers might leave the island within 18 months have been revised down to approximately 1,800.
The Jersey Hospitality Association Co-CEOs, Marcus and Ana Calvani, warned of a potential exodus by mid-2025 due to the expiration of updated work permits.
These updated permits allow foreign workers to stay for three years – provided they then leave for the same period.
Yesterday, the Home Affairs Minister deemed the figures from the Jersey Hospitality Association "surprising" and questioned their validity.
She explained that in the last two years, only 2,934 temporary hospitality work permits were issued to 1,854 employees.
Pictured: Deputy Helen Miles yesterday described the figures being quoted by the Jersey Hospitality Association as "surprising" and said she would "would question how they have arrived at those".
The JHA later acknowledged that the 4,000 figure was generated before receiving data on issued permits from the immigration department.
"We said up to 4,000 while we were waiting for immigration to respond,” they explained.
The association also highlighted the department’s lack of an automatic reporting tool for precise figures.
“The system they use to record it all can’t give accurate data without going through each permit holder on a case-by-case basis," added the JHA.
Despite this, JHA Co-CEOs Marcus and Ana Calvani are still arguing that the absence period should remain at three months, as businesses will otherwise have to start recruitment from scratch to replace experienced staff who are not allowed to return for the following season.
Pictured: Jersey Hospitality Association Co-CEOs Marcus and Ana Calvani. (Max Burnett)
They raised their concerns in a letter to politicians tasked with scrutinising the Government Plan for the next three years.
The politicians are part of the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel that reviews policies related to the development of the economy.
In the letter, the pair warned of a “catastrophic impact” on their industry, “lowering productivity, increasing costs to recruit and retrain and have absolutely no benefit to Jersey in any way whatsoever.”
“Despite explaining this to [Home Affairs Minister Helen Miles] and her officials, they have refused to alter the policy so that there would be a three-month absence period, a change that would meet their policy objective and assist our members,” Mr and Mrs Calvani added.
FOCUS: Hospitality in crisis? Jersey facing “mass exodus" of staff
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