Population up to 100,800 as immigration doubles target

Wednesday 24 June 2015

Jersey’s population has broken through the 100,000 barrier for the first time as new figures show immigration has been running at almost twice the States’ target for the last two years.

Statisticians have released the latest estimate for Jersey’s overall population, and say that at the end of 2014 it stood at 100,800.

And they say that overall immigration was around 600 in both 2013 and 2014 – that’s almost twice the States’ target of 325, which was set in 2009, and renewed last year.

Most of the population increase has been caused by net migration – the phrase the States use to say that the number of people coming in, minus the number of people going out – but there has also been “natural growth” of around 300 per year, because more Islanders are being born than are dying.

The politician in charge of population policy, Senator Paul Routier, has conceded that the 325 target – which he described as a planning assumption, not a target – was never a realistic one. But he said that when he and his colleagues have been granting new licences to businesses they have made decisions “in the best interests of the wider community”.

Senator Routier said: “The decisions that we have to make regarding licences are very difficult and they have got to be balanced to make sure that the economy is thriving.

“[The 325 figure] has proved that it was not something that was realistic. I am disappointed that net inward migration was not lower than it was.”

The current population policy, agreed six months before last year’s election, expires at the end of this year. Senator Routier said that a new policy was likely to go to the States next year – he said it may have a higher figure than 325, or no numerical target or “planning assumption” at all.

“I don’t know whether we will even have a number,” he said.

“We need to have an honest and open debate about it with the Island and eventually with the States.”