Emma-Jayne BlackmanBBC Channel Islands
BBC
Deputy Carina Alves says the new guidance makes the system “clearer and more consistent”
Last month, Jersey’s government issued new guidance allowing employees earning £54,000 or more to rent qualified accommodation, and those earning £60,000 or more to rent or buy property on the island.
Since then, further details have been published to clarify the system and provide guidance for businesses and workers navigating the licensed roles framework.
The Business Licensing & Employee Status Guidance, released for the first time, outlines how permissions are granted to people relocating to the island for work.
The updates were aimed at increasing transparency, helping businesses address critical skills shortages, and giving both employers and employees clearer expectations.
Shelley Kendrick says higher salary thresholds alone will not ease the pressure on workers
Deputy Carina Alves said the new guidance makes the system “clearer and more consistent.”
She confirmed that licensed permissions have also been expanded to include roles in education, childcare, and healthcare — sectors that have long struggled with recruitment.
“Those roles have to be tied to a level of qualification as well, but those roles will be essentially lower paid roles that won’t meet the threshold.”
The minister added that these roles will have access to qualified accommodation through a licensed permission.
Under Jersey’s updated rules, licensed workers can rent qualified accommodation if they earn at least £54,000, or if they earn less but work in a role on the essential jobs list.
Those earning £60,000 or more are now able to buy property in Jersey.
However, these permissions apply only while the individual remains in a licensed role; if they leave their job, they have three months to vacate the property, whether rented or owned.
Despite the changes, some argue that the high cost of living continued to make recruitment and retention challenging.
Recruitment agent Shelley Kendrick said, “Even on those slightly higher salaries, rental accommodation is still expensive, and bringing more people over will only push rents up further.”
Licensed workers are also barred from entering affordable housing schemes, and appeals are possible only in exceptional cases.
Andreea Ghisoi said many workers remain stuck in poor-quality housing
Andreea Ghisoi of the Romanian community welcomed the new measures, saying they could help some workers — particularly those already living on the island in poor-quality housing.
“Unqualified accommodation is almost non-existent, and the quality of the non-qualified flats or rooms is really bad — I’ve been there and I know what I’m talking about.”
She added that some Romanian professionals, including doctors and nurses, have left Jersey because they could not secure suitable housing for their families.
Government officials emphasised that the updates were designed to give businesses and workers more certainty while maintaining flexibility in areas where labour shortages threatened essential services.
Deputy Alves said, “This isn’t a measure that’s going to open the floodgates – There is still a tight criteria in place where businesses have to show that they have attempted to employ people locally first, but it’s important that we maintain some flexibility to support our essential services and our community.”
Ministers hope the guidance will attract more skilled workers to essential sectors while providing clarity for employers.
However, with accommodation costs still high and non-qualified housing in short supply, many believe the wider issue of affordability remains unresolved.
