‘Even easier’ to recruit from off-island if law changes
OFF-ISLAND workers will be ‘even easier’ to recruit under a revised population and immigration regime being proposed to the States by Home Affairs this summer.
A review of population policy was given high priority by the new States after the election in 2020 and the resulting proposals have been much anticipated.
Home Affairs has now confirmed it will be seeking States approval to ease off-island recruitment to support the economy.
A policy letter is expected to be published by the end of next month, which will spell out the proposed changes and the reasoning behind them. It follows consultations with representative bodies from the business community.
‘One of our main proposals will seek to provide even more avenues for businesses to recruit, up-skill and retain the existing workforce potential and importantly to recruit the staff they need from off-island should they not be able to secure those staff on-island,’ said Home Affairs president Rob Prow, who is also the chairman of the Population and Immigration Policy Review steering group.
‘What we have established, and heard through our consultation exercise, is that the current population management is well-established now and flexible for employers who engage with it.
‘However, there is currently a highly competitive employment market globally and we need to do more, where it is possible, to make it even easier for Guernsey businesses to bring in the staff they need, which in turn supports our economy.’
The policy letter would reinforce the role played by population management in ‘keeping our community safe and maintaining our position on the international stage in a post-Brexit environment and our position within the Common Travel Area,’ Deputy Prow said.
‘It will also consider the impact of our ageing population on the size of the workforce going forward, and how this can be mitigated in order to ensure that our economy can continue thriving over the medium to long term despite the impact of demographic changes on the availability of local labour.’
It is unclear exactly when the proposals will be debated but the committee has previously undertaken to bring them forward for debate in the third quarter of this year and it remains on track to do so.
The steering group also includes the presidents of Policy & Resources, Economic Development, Environment & Infrastructure, Education, Sport & Culture and Employment & Social Security, as well industry representatives.
