Guernsey Press

Poles may seek work over here

POLISH workers could be employed in local hotels by the summer.

Published

POLISH workers could be employed in local hotels by the summer. A consulting agency set up by a Jersey businessman has been told by Customs and Immigration that they can take jobs here.

Peter McGarry (pictured) has already found work for more than 1,000 Poles in Jersey.

'It is not a new venture,' he said.

While in Jersey they can work in bars, in greenhouses and in the hospitality industry, here they will only be able to take jobs such as those of a chef, hotel receptionist and waiting staff.

They will not be allowed to work as bar staff and can have a working permit for up to four years, providing they have at least three years' experience in the industry - although one of these can be at college.

Mr McGarry said that because of economic problems in Poland, many young people were leaving the country.

He added that he had been told the process here could take between three weeks and three months.

But assistant chief officer of immigration Phil Taylor said decisions on the vast majority of applications were made in less than a week.

'More than 99% of work permits are issued within a short period of time - a number of days,' he said.

'There can sometimes be a longer delay for key workers because we also require references and we check them out.'

Mr Taylor said there had been several cases recently, mainly from the Far East, where job references had turned out to be false.

Hotel managers generally know the procedure and how long it takes to finalise permits, he said.

Guernsey already has a number of Latvians working in unskilled jobs such as agriculture and the policy of giving them permits will not change.

Both Latvia and Poland are due to join the European Union in May next year, which will affect their rights to work in the Channel Islands without permits.

Mr McGarry was born in London, but moved to Jersey when he was two. He decided to set up a business in Poland after a visit.

Open Mind Personnel Consulting recruits people from its base in Krakow.

'A lot of people want to do something because they were ruled by Communism,' he said.

'Now we have got a really talented and educated generation which is desperate to work, but there is no work and they are leaving to work in other countries.

Potential staff also have to prove they have a good understanding of English and their qualifications are checked.

'We spend about an hour speaking with every candidate, speaking to them in English and giving them a written English test,' he said.

Mr McGarry said workers would benefit from coming to the island because of the cultural change, the financial gain and the chance to improve their language skills.

'But I do not send anybody who does not have average or above-average English,' he said.

The company has a database of around 5,000 candidates which it matches to employers.

Mr McGarry said he had been in contact with local employers who were interested in hiring Polish workers.

*The firm is on the Internet at www.openmind.krakow.pl

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