He said the two islands have taken on different approaches, but the time had come for both islands to work with one another to find an effective plan.
Deputy St Pier said he did not think the two islands should streamline entirely on policy, but should learn from one another to find what works well. The current government work plan puts population management as a priority, with the aim of assessing whether the current population and immigration framework is fit for purpose, particularly while recognising the need to balance economic needs with maintaining quality of life.
Deputy St Pier questioned if it would make sense to compare Guernsey and Jersey’s population management policy.
‘We could then see if one has produced a better response than the other,’ he said.
Guernsey's States is looking at how it deals with an ageing demographic and increasing demands on its limited finances.
Deputy St Pier said that made population management such an important priority.
‘The debate is a long and ongoing one of what our population should be. It has added importance with the ageing demographic because of increased health and social needs,’ he said.
In a column in the Jersey Evening Post, Deputy St Pier said there was a safety-valve theory in the island that the market drives the population – meaning people who can afford to live in the island would, and would contribute to the economy. Those who could not afford to live here would leave and no longer place demands on public services.
‘People will either be drawn in or thrown out, depending on their relationship between cost of living and housing,’ he wrote.
Both islands have seen a shortage in hospitality staff since the start of the pandemic, with many restaurants and hotels having to close or limit their opening hours.
Economic Development committee member Sasha Kazantseva-Miller said that one option to resolve the staff shortage was to establish relocation links further afield.
‘This is more opportunistic and often businesses lead the way in this approach. For example, we could prioritise workers from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Kenya or other places.’ She added that Jersey had taken advantage of being in the Common Travel Area, offering increased opportunities for relocation between the Crown Dependencies, the UK and Ireland and that Guernsey could do something similar.
Home Affairs was approached but unable to provide a view on the issue.
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