States clamp down on migrants

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Businesses wanting to employ newcomers to Jersey will have to prove no locally-qualified people can do the job.

In this month’s edition of the monthly business magazine Connect, the politician and civil servant in charge of population and immigration policy say that new powers the States have had since the start of this year will help them better control immigration.

Their comments come as ministers put forward a two-year plan to set an immigration target of 325 newcomers per year – that target has actually been in place since 2009, but has been broken every year. Despite the recession and record number of people out of work in Jersey over the last five years, the average year has seen 575 immigrants coming here to find work.

Assistant Chief Minister Paul Routier says the new rules will change the trend.

He said: “We now have the legislation, we are being a lot firmer on licence applications and we are encouraging businesses to employ as many local people as they possibly can, and if they want to employ someone who is not qualified they need to show to us that these skills are not in the Island. They have got to really prove that these skills are not available here. That is one of the main changes that is going to help.”

States Corporate Policy Director Paul Bradbury added: “One of the measures in place is about looking at businesses who employ more immigrants than their competitors and looking to secure local employment when the immigrant workers leave to create a more level playing field.

“Under the old law, the licences could only be reviewed every three years; now they can be reviewed as and when we want to review them.”