Common Population Policy Annual Report 2025

STATES OF JERSEY

COMMON POPULATION POLICY ANNUAL REPORT 2025

Presented to the States on 28th January 2026 by the Chief Minister

STATES GREFFE

2026  R.14

Common Population Policy

Annual Report 2025

Contents

Ministerial Foreword............................................................................................................... 3 Executive Summary................................................................................................................ 4 Overall Population Estimate ................................................................................................... 5 Families, children and young people – summary of key data .................................................... 7

Birthrates ........................................................................................................................ 7 Making Jersey more family friendly - Children and Families Policy Initiatives ....................... 11

Investing in Jersey ......................................................................................................... 12 Common Strategic Policy .............................................................................................. 13 Budget 2026 ................................................................................................................. 13 Additional 2025 actions ................................................................................................. 13

Working age population - summary of key data ...................................................................... 15

Keeping Jersey open for business – working age policy initiatives ........................................ 22 Future Economy Programme and the Better Business Support Package .......................... 23 Skills ............................................................................................................................ 23 Immigration Controls .................................................................................................... 24 Migrant Safeguarding Group .......................................................................................... 24 International Cultural Centre ......................................................................................... 24 CHWL Controls - Expanded access to Licensed & Licensed Lease Only permissions ....... 25 Inward Investment and Entrepreneurs ........................................................................... 25 CHWL legislation .......................................................................................................... 26

Population aged 65 and above – summary of key data............................................................ 27

Jersey Ageing Well Roadmap – 2025 update ....................................................................... 29 Healthy Ageing and Access to Services .......................................................................... 29 Financial Security and Economic Participation ............................................................... 30 Diverse Housing Choices and Options ........................................................................... 30 Participation and Social Inclusion .................................................................................. 31 Accessible Environments .............................................................................................. 31

Appendix ............................................................................................................................. 33

Ministerial Foreword

As an island community, we have always understood the importance of finding balance. We need to protect our unique way of life while ensuring we have a resilient economy to fund the services we need.

This report, which is produced annually, demonstrates how, throughout 2025, Ministers have remained focused on achieving that balance.

The statistics included remind us that population policy cannot be reduced to a simple number. It requires a thoughtful, evidence-based approach that recognises the interdependence of our social and economic wellbeing.

Jersey continues to experience the same demographic challenges faced by many other advanced economies: lower birth rates, an ageing population, and global competition for skilled workers. These pressures present challenges, but they also give us the opportunity to act decisively. Throughout the year, we have made significant progress in supporting families, enhancing skills, investing in our infrastructure, and ensuring that Jersey remains a place where islanders can have a good quality of life and be confident about the future.

Our priority is to make Jersey more attractive and affordable for families, through investment in childcare, school meals, education, housing and community facilities. It means supporting businesses through productivity and innovation programmes that help them adapt and grow, while ensuring that our immigration and housing controls strike the right balance between protecting opportunities for Islanders and enabling essential recruitment. It also means preparing for the changing needs of an older population, ensuring access to high quality health, care and community services while supporting active participation for as long as possible.

The Investing In Jersey programme marks a step change in our ambition to enhance the Island's public assets and strengthen the foundations of our economy. This work will ensure that Jersey remains an attractive and vibrant place to live, work and do business.

Ministers remain firmly committed to a sustainable population policy that supports our essential services, protects our environment, respects our community values, and secures long-term economic stability.

We would like to thank States Members for their engagement throughout the year, including their contribution to the dedicated population workshop held in July. We also thank the officers across government who continue to deliver this important work, supported by the high-quality data produced by Statistics Jersey.

Deputy Lyndon Farnham   Deputy Carina Alves Chief Minister  Assistant Chief Minister

Executive Summary

The Council of Ministers has a statutory obligation to maintain a common population policy and keep it under regular review. This report presents a summary of policy actions taken in 2025 and planned for 2026. It also provides an analysis of some of the extensive statistics that are now produced by Statistics Jersey drawing on data from administrative sources.

A cross ministerial group called, the Housing and Work Advisory Group+ (HAWAG+), meets regularly to discuss population related policies. In addition, a States Members' workshop was held in July 2025 to discuss population issues focused on: birth rates, children and young people, the working age population and the ageing population. This report considers each of these areas.

In line with many other countries, Jersey continues to see a declining birth rate. The experience of other countries is that direct intervention to increase birth rates has relatively limited results and can be very costly.

Ministers are instead focusing their efforts on supporting parents and ensuring that Jersey is a safe, attractive and affordable place to bring up a family. The Investing in Jersey programme, launched in August 2025, sets out an ambitious plan to build more affordable family homes, improve sport and leisure facilities and upgrade schools and colleges. The 2026 budget provides extra support for parents with childcare costs and 5,357 children in 22 primary schools now have access to a nutritious school lunch.

Maintaining a well skilled and productive workforce is vital for our economic future and 2025 saw a significant investment in local businesses through the Better Business Support Package. A further £10 million is allocated for additional schemes in 2026.

The working age population is ageing, and more than a quarter of all workers are now aged 55 and above. The "baby boom" generation is now becoming a generation of pensioners and there are fewer young people entering the workplace. Today, Jersey relies on inward migration to maintain its labour force and there was a small increase in the number of working age residents last year.

Following Brexit and economic growth across many EU countries, European migrants have now been largely replaced by African and Asian migrants with many more workers now subject to fixed term immigration permissions. These workers bring valuable skills to the island, but they may face increased challenges in adapting to life in Jersey.

Ministers understand the importance of this workforce and took action in 2025 to support migrants through the relaunched International Cultural Centre and will shortly be setting up a Migrant Safeguarding Board. Work permit policies remain under review, with 2025 seeing the expansion of skilled worker routes that give workers and their families a route to long term residence in Jersey.

The Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law 2012 (CHWL) is used to control access to the housing and job markets. The CHWL controls have also been relaxed to support more licensed jobs in key areas such as health, education and nursery care. There are planned changes for early 2026 to open up new routes to encourage high earning individuals to relocate to Jersey.

The population aged 65 and above has grown by 12% in the last 5 years, against an overall population increase of 1%. This trend will continue for some time with an even sharper rise in the number of people aged 85 and above, a cohort which has increased by 43% in the last 10 years.

Last year the Council of Ministers launched their Ageing Well Roadmap which sets out aims under 5 main headings, covering economic, health, housing, social inclusion and accessible environments. The accessible environments aim was strengthened in July 2025 when the States Assembly agreed to create an accessible, age-friendly infrastructure framework (P.50/2025 as amended). Actions also continue across all areas of government to prepare for and support an older population. In 2025, health was a particular focus of activity.

Overall Population Estimate

Statistics Jersey published a series of reports in September 2025 providing detailed estimates on the make-up of the population at the end of 2024 as well as updating their estimates for 2023. These statistics are drawn on throughout this report.

The estimated total population of Jersey at the end of 2024 was 104,540 people. This is an annual increase in overall population of 510 people and is the third year in a row that has seen a rise in population (figure 1).

105000 104540

100000

95000

90000

85000

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Figure 1: Total Jersey population size in December between 2000 and 2024 (source: Statistics Jersey)

Changes in Jersey's resident population are made up of two components:

• Natural change – the number of births minus the number of deaths

• Net migration – the number of people arriving minus the number of people leaving

During 2024:

• Natural change remained negative as Jersey saw more deaths than births

• The population still increased, due to net migration, by 510 people

2022  2023  2024 Natural change  -100  -120  -150

Net migration  200  730  670 Administrative adjustment  10  110  0 Total population change  110  720  510

Figure 2: Components of population change in 2022, 2023 and 2024[1] including administrative adjustment[2] (source: Statistics Jersey)

In the last 10 years (2014 to 2024) the population has increased by 4,480 people (4.5%). In the 10-year period prior to that (2004 to 2014) the population increased by 9,960 people (11%).

The largest change in the five-year period between the end of 2019 and the end of 2024 was among the population aged 65 and above, which increased by 12%, whilst the population aged under 16 decreased by 7%. These issues are explored in more detail in later sections.

Figure 3: Population size by age at the end of 2019 and 2024[3] (source: Statistics Jersey)

Families, children and young people – summary of key data

Birthrates

Global trends  

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimate a total fertility rate[4] (TFR) of 2.1 children per woman is required to ensure a broadly stable population,

assuming no net migration and unchanged mortality rates. OECD statistics report that

countries globally have experienced a sharp decline in fertility rates in recent decades.

6 5 4 3 2

Births per woman

1 0

1960 1963 1966 1969 1972 1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014 2017 2020 2023

Figure 4: Global fertility rate, births per woman, 1960 to 2023 (Source: World Population Prospects - UN Population Division; Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices, Demographic Statistics, Eurostat (ESTAT)

Jersey's birth rate mirrors this global trend, being below the level required to maintain the current population and decreasing. The TFR in Jersey during the period 2022-2024 was 1.20 births per woman, the lowest number recorded in the data held from 2001 to 2024. In line with the pattern seen in recent years, this is lower than the latest available 3-yearly rate for England and Wales, where the TFR was 1.55 births per woman (2022-2023, Figure 5).

Figure 5: Three-yearly total fertility rate (2001-2003 to 2022-2024) for Jersey and England and Wales (Source: Public Health Jersey)

Comparing to Europe, Jersey's total fertility rate is relatively low and similar to that of Spain, Lithuania, Poland and Italy.   Comparing globally, Jersey's fertility rate is also lower than the average for "high income" and "upper middle" income countries.

Figure 6: Annual fertility rate in Jersey compared to other jurisdictions of interest (Source: Jersey Health Profile 2024, Public Health Jersey)

There was a total of 720 births to Jersey resident mothers in 2024, representing the lowest number in the data held from 1995 to 2024. The number of live births in 2024 is almost 10% lower than in 2023 (799), and 36% lower than the latest peak in birth numbers seen in 2012 (1,124).

Factors associated with birth rate decline

The broad decline in international birthrates is associated with a range of factors.  

- Falling birth rates have been observed in many nations where women have high levels of educational attainment.

- Access to contraceptives and sex education has helped families control the size of their families.

- Women are increasingly active in the labour market.  

- Cost of childcare

In 2021 almost two-thirds (63%) of women in Jersey aged 16 and over were economically active (i.e., working or looking for work). This is a slightly higher rate than that recorded by the 2011 Jersey Census (61%) and higher than that recorded for the UK (59%).

Figure 7: Long term economic activity rates % by sex, 1961-2021 (adults aged 16 and over) (Source: Statistics Jersey, Census Report 2021)

Pro-natal policies

 Many countries are investigating what are now being referred to as pro-natal policies to try and reverse the downward trends in fertility rates. Despite some jurisdictions spending heavily on policies, such as generous tax breaks for families and increased subsidies for childcare, there remains little evidence that these policies are having any significant effect in increasing fertility rates within their populations.  

Families, children and young people

The number of children in Jersey aged under 16 is decreasing as more children reach their 16th birthday than are born each year.  In 2024 this led to a decrease of 370 in the total number of under 16s.

18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

0-4 years 5-10 years 11-15 years

Figure 8: Population of under 16s in Jersey by age group from 2020 to 2024 (source: Statistics Jersey, Annual population estimates by age and sex (2011 to present))

Net migration of children has been small in 2024, with 10 more children arriving in the island against leaving the island. In 2023, 30 more children arrived in the island than left and in 2022 110 fewer children arrived than left in the aftermath of Brexit and the pandemic. Average immigration and emigration rates for children in 2024 were evenly balanced at 22 per 1,000 individuals both arriving and departing.

School pupil numbers

Falling birth rates coupled with reduced net inward migration of children could lead to a reduction in the number of school aged children in coming years. Whilst demand on schools is uneven, for some primary schools, this reduction is already being seen with pupil numbers forecast to stabilise at around 6,500 from the mid-2030s.

School cohort projections 2019/20 to 2044/45:

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8431

7667

2019/20 2024/25 2029/30 2034/35 2039/40 2044/45

Figure 9: Primary school cohort projections (based on birth rate) in Jersey from nursery to year 6 (source: internal data from CYPES, Government of Jersey

This trend then follows through around 6 years later to the secondary school population.

10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0

2019/20 2024/25 2029/30 2034/35 2039/40 2044/45

Figure 10: Secondary school cohort projections (based on birth rate) in Jersey from year 7 to year 13 (source: internal data from CYPES, Government of Jersey)

Cost of living

The high cost of living in Jersey is often identified as a particular issue for families. Data from the 2025 JOLS (Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey) identifies 30% of all households as finding it difficult to cope financially.

For couples with children this figure increases to 35%. For the smaller group of single parents, the figure is almost double at 69%.

Intentions of students after Year 13

The Jersey Children and Young Persons Survey 2024 found that a third of students in Year 12 sought to study off island for higher education and seek a career off-island, and a third intended to get a job or apprenticeship in Jersey, or return to Jersey after studying at university off island.

Figure 11: Year 12 student aspirations by gender (source: Jersey Children and Young People's Survey Report 2024, Statistics Jersey)

The government does not currently hold data on the number of young people who leave Jersey and then later return to Jersey to settle down.

Making Jersey more family friendly - Children and Families Policy Initiatives

Jersey families are changing. Life expectancy is higher and birth rates lower[5]. In many families, there are more grandparents and fewer children. The family unit is more diverse: there is more cohabitation, people marry at older ages, marriages end in divorce more often and remarriages are increasing[6]. Parents want to combine a career and an active family life[7]. Children have fewer siblings and live more often with cohabiting or sole parents. More children are growing up in blended families of re-partnered adults.  

Family friendly policies today need to cater for more flexible and diverse family units to be attractive and meaningful across all family situations. Family-friendly policies, which enable more equal sharing of work and childcare responsibilities, also help to close the gender pay gap.

In many ways, Jersey is an attractive place to raise a family. The island is fortunate to have a very low crime rate and a high quality of education and healthcare provision. At the same time, families can face a range of economic and housing pressures, including:

• Supply of affordable housing

• Cost of childcare

• Cost of living and financial pressures – particularly for single parents

• The career impact parents may experience in taking parental leave

In July 2025 there was a States Members' workshop focussing on population in four distinct categories - birth rates, children and young people, the working age population and the ageing population. Feedback from the workshop strongly confirmed the importance of helping families bring up their children in Jersey as well as attracting new families to make their home here.

Ministers are taking action across multiple areas to support families through their CSP and budget commitments and through the new Investing in Jersey programme. Key actions are listed below

Investing in Jersey

Deliver more family sized homes - Working with Andium Homes the Jersey Development Company and the private sector, the government will prioritise construction of more 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom homes with an emphasis on good quality housing that meets the expectations of families.  The Andium housing construction programme will add 583 new homes, including family houses, by the end of 2028.

Support home ownership - the government will expand the Homebuy scheme and First Step scheme providing shared equity support for a first home purchase and extend existing policies to allow young families to be able to move up from a flat to a house. The First Step scheme has to date assisted more than 60 households to purchase a home since its introduction in 2024.

Town Primary School - Purchase of the Gas Place site to provide a new town primary school alongside the Millenium Town Park. This purpose-built site, with over 5,000 square metres of outdoor space, will replace Springfield, St Luke's and La Passerelle schools, supporting our SEND provision and ensuring we can meet all our educational needs. The site is being designed to provide community accessible sports facilities and extra park spaces outside of school

hours.

Purpose built campus - Relocate further and higher education facilities from Highlands to a new purpose-built campus on a central site in town which will provide modern, accessible learning environments for students aged 14 and above, improve links between education and local employers, supporting skills development and training for key sectors, and allow better integration between academic, technical, and vocational pathways, creating clearer progression routes for students.

Town Youth & Community Centre – A new youth and community centre should be delivered in the north of town on the Ann Street Brewery site by the end of June of 2028. The development of these facilities will have a significantly positive impact on our children, young people and their families in town, and will offer them a new service within modern facilities.

Common Strategic Policy

Primary School Food Programme - Since January 2025, nutritious school lunches have been available in all government funded primary schools with meals costing £2.50 a day with some children eligible for free school meals. The benefit is felt by parents by reducing cost of living pressures whilst also contributing to child health and development.

Primary Care – as well as the CSP action to reduce GP fees for parents, all children and full- time students now receive free GP surgery consultations, helping with family cost of living pressures as well as encouraging the use of primary health care.

Budget 2026

Childcare - A new universal offer of free childcare hours for 2–3-year-olds. Over 1,200 parents responded to a local survey [8]which described the availability of affordable childcare as a key enabler for parents to return to work, managing their own wellbeing and support their child's health and development. The new universal offer runs from January 2026 and provides up to £6,270 per school year to support childcare fees. It applies to care received from a registered childminder or a registered nursery.

Investment in leisure and sports facilities – Fort Regent Regeneration, an initial £43 million of funding has been allocated to begin the process of creating a modern, accessible leisure, events, and community destination.

Mont à L'Abbé Secondary School - Funding for a new secondary school at Mont à L'Abbé. This will expand the Island's provision of care and learning for children with moderate to severe learning difficulties, creating an environment tailored to their needs. In combination with the primary school, this single campus will create a specialised hub to accommodate learning from ages 0-25 as well as respite care.

Children's Homes - £12 million to provide new and improved residential care facilities for children (Loving Homes).

Additional 2025 actions

Immigration work permits - Changes to work permit rules approved by the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs include an expansion of the number of long-term work permit routes. Given an appropriate salary, these routes allow the worker to bring a partner and children with them.

CHWL Licensed lease only expansion - Expansion of access to Licensed Lease Only status to nursery officer roles, education and children's support staff, and in healthcare roles aims to address the staffing shortages in these areas, allowing workers in these areas to rent qualified accommodation.

Oakfield Community Sports Centre opened in October 2025; Oakfield represents an £8 million investment in Island sport comprising a 2,659 m² multi-use sports hall and state-of-the- art gymnastics centre. Oakfield can cater for multiple sports and be used by schools during the day and clubs and community organisations outside of school hours.

Play Strategy - Following stakeholder feedback the final Play Strategy was published in December 2025. It focuses on five key areas: play in the community, at home, in education and childcare settings, play infrastructure, and the promotion of play across the island

In Vitro fertilisation - On October 1st the government changed the criteria for funded IVF, making it possible for more couples to access funded fertility treatment. The updated criteria means that there is improved access to this service for couples with children from previous relationships, same-sex female couples and residents returning home to live in Jersey.

Draft Residential Tenancy (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- - the Law is planned to come into force in 2026 and will enhance protections for both tenants and landlords.

Children and Civil Status (Jersey) Commencement Order 2025 - The legislative changes made on the 24th of November 2025 enhance the rights of same-sex parents and those who become parents through fertility treatment or surrogacy. This ensures they are legally recognised as the parents of their children and can acquire full parental

responsibility. Accompanying legislation removed the status of legitimacy as this no longer aligned with modern family units and removed the discriminatory labelling of children as illegitimate.

Social housing - In April 2025 income limits were raised to better reflect the cost of living, allowing more households to have access to social housing through the Affordable Housing Gateway. In January 2026 the age limit to access the Affordable Housing Gateway will be lowered to 18 years old, following a reduction to 25 years old in September 2024.  Further expansion of the social housing eligibility will come in to force by the end of January 2026. The expansions include the introduction of a new general needs' band to allow households who do not meet priority criteria to access social housing.  

Working age population - summary of key data

At the end of 2024, there were 68,530 people of working age[9] (16 to 64) living in Jersey.

This is an increase of 180 over the previous year. For some time, there have been more people reaching their 65th birthday and leaving this age group, compared to the number of people having their 16th birthday and entering the working age population group. During 2024 this contributed to a drop of 320 people in this age group, but with this being more than made up by net inward migration of 750 people.

The ageing of the workforce can also be tracked through employment statistics. At the end of 2024, more than a quarter of all workers (25.3%) were aged 55 and over; this proportion is growing steadily – for example in December 2019, it was just over a fifth (21.1%).

Figure 12: Employment by age group, December 2024 (source: Employment Statistics (Experimental), Statistics Jersey)

Where we look at the number of working aged people (aged 16 – 64 years) as a proportion of the total population, we can see that the ageing of the workforce will mean that this proportion is going down over time. This means that on current trends less than 60% of the Jersey population could be of working age by 2040. Japan is already experiencing the associated challenges of this level of working age population, which they recorded in 2021.

Figure 13: Working-age population estimates as a percentage of total population, in different areas of the world (Source Statistics Jersey, Office of National Statistics, Eurostat, e-Stat)

The ongoing ageing of the workforce presents two key challenges:  

• Without action, Jersey will face a reducing labour force, with potentially serious economic impacts. The ongoing inward migration of workers will be needed to maintain the labour market, as well as encouraging economic activity amongst all existing residents. These themes are discussed in the following sections of this report.

• Regardless of any government policy, there will be more older people in the island who will draw pensions and be regular users of health and care services. Government action to support an older population is set out in the final section of this report.

Global market for workers

Whereas Jersey could previously rely on migrant workers from Europe, improved economic conditions in those countries and the loss of free movement of EU labour means that the island now needs to become globally competitive if it is to continue to attract migrant workers.

As our immigration statistics indicate, Jersey is utilising workers from the rest of the world countries (i.e. outside of GB, Ireland and the EU) on an increasing basis, and we are doing this in competition with a large number of other western countries who find themselves in a similar position of a dwindling working age population. This graphic indicates the population imbalance between different geographic regions.

Figure 14: Estimated change in number of working aged people globally 2023-2050 (source: U.N. World Population Prospects 2022. [Lauren Leatherby/The New York Times])

Whereas Jersey provides a range of interesting work opportunities and has good employment protection, it also has some disadvantages for potential workers – being an island, Jersey suffers from a shortage of inexpensive travel opportunities, for example. The cost of living is high, supply of registered accommodation has diminished, and some is of poor quality.

In line with these pressures, since 2020 the statistics indicate a decline in the number of European Union migrant workers and a significant increase in workers coming from non - Common Travel Area & EU countries ('Rest of World').

Figure 15 shows that the number of people with rest of world' nationality in Jersey and aged over 20 years increased between 2019 and 2024 by a total of 3,190 people. All the nationalities listed have seen a significant increase in population.

Figure 15: Comparison of population size, aged over 20 years, by nationality, between 2019 and 2024[10] (source: Statistics Jersey)

Figure 16 shows that the same age group of European nationals fell by 1,100. All the nationalities listed have seen a decrease in population.

Figure 16: Comparison of population sizes of European nationalities aged 20 years and over in 2024 compared to 2019[11] (source: Statistics Jersey)

Immigration controls include visas which are issued to the individual and work permits which are issued to an employer and provide details of the job to be undertaken.

2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0

skilled agriculture construction fishing hospitality

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Figure 17: Immigration work permits issued by sector 2018 to 2024 (internal JCIS data)

Long term work permits can lead to long term residence, and the worker can bring family members with them (subject to meeting minimum salary requirements). The reports issued by Statistics Jersey in 2025 include a breakdown of residents with work permits for the first time.

At the end of 2024, 1,480 people in Jersey had a long-term work permit, with 93% being held by workers with a "Rest of World" nationality. Family members of long-term work permit holders were an additional 850 adults and children.  

Temporary work permits are issued for a fixed length of up to a year. They do not lead to permanent residence and workers are not allowed to bring family with them. Most work permits are issued for 9 months, but 12-month permits are also available with the worker able to remain in Jersey for up to 3 years (i.e. 3 one-year permits) at a time.

Statistics Jersey report that at the end of 2024, there were 1,740 residents subject to a temporary work permit, with 87% held by workers with a "Rest of World" nationality.

In terms of the change from 2023, the total net increase in migration of 670 is made up of 280 workers who have a temporary work permit and 380 people who either don't need immigration permission or have a long-term work permit.

Immigration controls and CHWL status

Whereas immigration controls only apply to people who are not British or Irish citizens, the Control of Housing and Work Law (CHWL) applies to all adults living in Jersey, whatever their nationality.

The CHWL does not impose any restrictions on employment for people who have lived in Jersey for at least 5 years. Employers wishing to take on other workers need a CHWL licensed or registered permission for that post. Licensed permissions apply to higher paid roles and roles that provide a key function, such as health care professionals. Registered permissions are normally allocated to seasonal jobs and lower paid roles.

Prior to 2020, the great majority of registered workers, who were EU nationals with free movement at that time, were able to build up 5 years residence and acquire CHWL "Entitled to Work" status, giving them full access to the local labour market. After a further 5 years in Jersey, the individual would gain "Entitled" status and be able to rent and buy local qualified property.

The Statistics Jersey report provides information on work permit and CHWL status by worker and this shows a significant change in the make-up of CHWL registered workers since 2020.

In 2020 there were 5,120 registered workers of whom only 60 were subject to a temporary work permit. The remaining 5,070 people were able to remain in Jersey without restriction and could build up residency to 5 and then 10 years, gaining access to first the labour market and then the local housing market.

At the end of 2024, the total number of registered workers had risen to 5,430 (6.4% of the 20+ population) but of these 1,710 were also subject to a temporary work permit and would not be able to build up residence and status under the CHWL law (unless moving on to longer term visas). The number of registered workers who can still build up to CHWL Entitled status has fallen to 3,720.

Figure 18: Previous (pre-Brexit) and current/future (post-Brexit) progression of people through to CHWL Entitled for work and CHWL Entitled statuses. The progression is shown for various Immigration permissions and from various areas of the world [Common Travel Area (CTA), EU and rest of world (RoW)].

CHWL status - Entitled

The great majority of adults living in Jersey have CHWL entitled status having lived in the island for at least 10 years.

The main changes affecting the size of this group are migration and the transition of people who have Entitled For Work Only (EFW) or Licensed status to full entitled status after 10 years in Jersey. In 2024, CHWL transitions led to an increase of 1,000 people aged 20 or above with entitled status.  This represents a 2% increase in the entitled population over the last five years, to give a total of 70,430 individuals (aged 20+), i.e. 83% of all residents aged 20+.

There was net outward migration in respect of this group totalling 810 people. Combined with other minor changes, the total net growth in the population of Entitled people aged over 20 was +290 (0.4%) in 2024.

CHWL status - Entitled For Work Only

In 2024, there were 5,810 people with EFW status – just under 7% of all people in Jersey aged 20+. This figure is affected by net migration, 130 more people with EFW status moved to Jersey than left - and transitions between CHWL statuses.

The number of people with EFW status is increased when a CHWL registered worker completes 5 years' residency and transitions to EFW status. The number of people with EFW status is decreased when a CHWL EFW individual completes 10 years' residency and transitions to become CHWL Entitled. In 2024, the net impact of these transitions reduced the EFW population by 140. Combined with some other minor changes, the overall change in the EFW population was + 40.

However, as noted above, the number of CHWL registered workers who are able to build up residency in Jersey has sharply declined since 2020. This decline is likely to continue for some time as the number of EU citizens who have settled or pre-settled status and who choose to remain in Jersey to complete 5 years' residency reduces. It is likely that the number of EFW individuals will decline in coming years.

CHWL status - Licensed

There has been a significant rise in the number of people holding a Licensed status over the last 5 years. At the end of 2019, 2,310 people had licensed status, and this total has risen by 41% to 3,250 people at the end of 2024.

During 2024 the net inward migration of licensed individuals was 340. The size of this group is reduced when an individual has completed 10 years residence and can move to Entitled status.

In 2024, this had a net effect of – 130 people. Combined with other minor changes the licenced group saw a net increase of +200 over the year.

Policy changes announced during 2025 are designed to increase the number of licensed jobs available and this group is likely to continue to grow in coming years. At present, the total number of licensed people (aged over 20) is 3,250, representing a little under 4% of the adult (20+) population.

Keeping Jersey open for business – working age policy initiatives

Ministers acknowledge the challenges of an ageing workforce and global competition for workers and continue to take actions to both support the productivity and skills within the local economy and to provide an attractive and supportive destination for workers and their families arriving in Jersey for the first time.

Financial Services Competitiveness Programme

The programme was launched in April 2025 and is aimed at strengthening Jersey's position as a leading international finance centre (IFC). It seeks to improve the competitiveness of Jersey's financial and related professional services sector (FRPS) by maintaining the existing base and by enhancing growth prospects over the next 10 years. The focus has been on government, industry and the regulator working together, supported by expert analysis, to produce clear and implementable recommendations and actions to optimise Jersey's regulatory and business environment, and to position the Island's FRPS sector for long-term growth.

The programme features four key workstreams:

• International tax strategy

• Business and regulatory environment enhancements

• External growth strategy

• Future competitiveness and regulation

The programme is expected to conclude in March 2026, with the publication of Government's action plan. Regular updates are posted on the programme's webpage.

Future Economy Programme and the Better Business Support Package

The Future Economy Programme (FEP) was designed to ensure the economy meets future needs. The programme was published in 2023 with a key focus on mitigating the risks inherent in the Jersey economy arising from an ageing population and decline in productivity. These future risks are significant, and focus is needed to help grow the economy to safeguard living standards for all islanders in the future.

The FEP suggests that population growth could be one of the policy answers to mitigating these issues and the economic narrative also suggests there are real risks around a decline in population in the coming years, both in real terms but more specifically in the size and proportion of the working age population.

In 2025 the FEP has supported the delivery of the Better Business Support Package (BBSP). This provides up to £10 million of ring-fenced funding in 2025 and 2026 to promote productivity within businesses and protect competitiveness for our export markets. Working with Jersey Business, the 2025 funding has been enthusiastically taken up by local businesses, supporting improvements across a wide range of sectors.

Skills

Following the announcement of increased funding in May, applications for distance learning have increased significantly compared to 2024, with the majority submitted by mature students. The flexibility this mode of study provides means it often appeals to older learners who are juggling responsibilities like work and childcare. Around 50 students per year are supported through this mode and the majority are aged above 25 years.

A review of financial support and eligibility criteria for apprenticeships is currently underway. This includes a series of in-person discussions with employers and training providers.

In 2025 the Skills Development Scheme panel finalised a shortlist of identified skills shortage areas. This list will guide the allocation of funding from the Skills Development Scheme, aimed at supporting new or enhanced local training opportunities. Priority areas are identified through labour market analysis and engagement with employers, education providers, and training organisations. In November and December 2025 local training providers were invited to tender for the skills development scheme. The training will offer profession related training and qualifications.

Priority areas include:

• Childcare (with specific focus on childminder qualifications)

• General roofing installation, including solar panel and photovoltaic system installation

• Low-carbon heating system design and installation

• Health Care Assistant training (specialist provision)

• Historic property maintenance

• Scaffolding

• Specialist culinary skills

• Data analysis skills

Immigration Controls

In 2025, Jersey's Work Permit Policy continued to play a vital role in supporting the Island's economy while safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of migrant workers. The number of work permit holders remains significant, with over 3,000 permits issued across temporary and skilled routes in 2025, reflecting sustained demand in sectors including hospitality, health, and agriculture.

Looking ahead, the Work Permit Policy will be subject to ongoing review in 2026 and will remain flexible to effectively meet Jersey's population and economic needs while maintaining robust safeguarding standards.

Proposed UK immigration reforms, including changes to routes to settlement, skilled worker visas, families, dependants, and asylum will need to be closely examined in the context of Jersey's position within the Common Travel Area (CTA) and the alignment of its immigration legislation with that of the UK. Any changes made or replicated locally will need to balance the need for security of the border of the CTA with the Island's bespoke and specific needs.

The Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel has welcomed progress on measures

to protect and support new arrivals to the Island including initiatives to ensure workers have all the information they need prior to their arrival in the Island, ongoing support through

the Jersey Advisory & Conciliation Service (JACS) and International Cultural Centre (ICC) as well as ongoing work by the Customs and Immigration Service (JCIS) to ensure compliance by employers to the Work Permit Policy.

Migrant Safeguarding Group

The Government remains committed to ensuring that migrant workers are treated fairly and have access to safe working and living conditions. Ministers are advancing a dedicated Migrant Safeguarding Group working across government to address issues such as exploitation risks, accommodation standards, and access to healthcare.

International Cultural Centre

The International Cultural Centre (ICC), based in the Government Union Street office, was relaunched in July 2025 to support newly arrived individuals to navigate life in Jersey. Customers can contact the ICC directly or be referred through agencies. The ICC has dedicated case workers who support individuals who may be experiencing isolation or need help to access

local services, covering areas such as employment, health, housing and immigration queries.

CHWL Controls - Expanded access to Licensed & Licensed Lease Only permissions

As noted above, there has been a significant increase in the number of workers holding licensed permission over the last 5 years. In Autumn 2025, Ministers further relaxed the eligibility criteria for licensed permissions to support areas where businesses face staff shortages and to expand

key services such as nursery care which provide vital services to local families.

Licensed lease only permissions now allow a worker to rent locally qualified accommodation and give the worker's partner full access to the local job market. The minimum salary required has been reduced to £54,000 with a list of jobs published which are exempt from the salary requirement, to support areas such as home care, nursery care, technical health roles and education support staff.  To support family and caring responsibilities the work requirement has been reduced to 25 hours a week. These permissions do not include the right to purchase property. Ministers continue to view the restrictions on buying property in Jersey as vital to supporting the long-term needs of Jersey to maintain housing stock to house our key workers

and local families.

Eligibility for full Licensed permissions, which include the ability to purchase a home in Jersey have also been extended to support roles working more than 25 hours per week in line with our commitment to support families, with full details published in November 2025.

Inward Investment and Entrepreneurs

Ministers committed to reviewing the inward investment process for businesses and entrepreneurs in 2025 as part of broader efforts to improve government flexibility. The review found that expanding and adjusting current policies could make it easier for entrepreneurs and skilled professionals from diverse backgrounds and sectors to relocate, supporting the Island's long-term economic vision for sustainable economic growth. Inward investment can provide more diverse work opportunities and improved productivity to the benefit of the resident community. Changes to policy will take effect early in 2026.

Policy outline:

• CHWL permission package (business licence, licensed permission) designed to attract business leaders, founders, investors and innovators

• A minimum taxable income required

• Skilled professionals could access this route if they incorporated their services as a business (e.g. sole trader/Ltd Co/LLP)

• This route is for individuals, existing separate routes for businesses are also available

• Supports increased tax revenue and additional revenue through GST from on-island

spend

And, as with all licensed permissions:

• Working commitment of over 25 hours per week

• Gives access to Qualified accommodation (purchase or lease)

• Permission linked to work activity, licence lost if no longer working as agreed.

CHWL legislation

As part of the new legislative framework for housing and work controls that can adapt to future economic and social development, the Draft Control of Housing and Work (Residential and Employment Status) (Jersey) Regulations 202- were debated and agreed by the States Assembly in April 2025. Once in force, these Regulations will reduce the period for Permanent Entitled status from 30 to 25 years, and introduce a separate Licensed Lease Only status, which will give the ability to rent Qualified accommodation.

An Appointed Day Act will be brought to the States Assembly early in 2026 to bring the new CHWL and Regulations into effect.

Simplified business licensing guidance

Updated Business licensing and employee status guidance notes were published in November of this year. These provide simpler and more transparent guidance to help businesses understand how business licensing works, what criteria are used to consider an application and how to apply for the different staffing permissions.

Population aged 65 and above – summary of key data

As noted above, no matter the level of net inward migration, our older aged population is expected to increase rapidly over the next 20-30 years, and this is particularly the case for those aged 85 years old and above.

Figure 19: Projected percentage change in the Jersey population by age group between 2021 and 2051 for three different migration scenarios (net 0, net +325 net +700) (source: Statistics Jersey 2021 Census and Population Projections 2023-2080)

This figure compares 3 migration scenarios ranging from net nil migration to net +700 a year migration. The figure shows the significant impact of different migration scenarios on younger age groups but under all the migration scenarios there is a consistent and significant percentage growth in the population aged 85 and above over the next 30 years. This age group will more than double in size. The age group of 75- 84 year-olds will also increase by at least 50%. This compares to reductions or only small percentage increases in younger age groups over the same period.

The size of the older age population is an important factor in respect of the provision of services required in Jersey. This is particularly relevant in respect of planning government expenditure on old age pension and the provision of health and care services.

The Council of Ministers reiterates the point, made in the 2024 CPP Annual Report, that the fact that we are living longer is extremely positive. The older age population have made, and continue to make, a significant contribution to our society, our community, and our economy.

Whilst many older island residents enjoy a good life and will continue to do so, we want to ensure that older people in the Island have access to the services, opportunities and support that they need. The Jersey Ageing Well Roadmap (see below) coordinates these cross Ministerial responsibilities.

Health demands increase with age

The data shows that whilst, on average, we live longer in Jersey we don't always do so in good health. The Jersey Health Profile 2024 reports that Jersey has a relatively high overall life expectancy when compared to other jurisdictions, and higher than the overall average for high income countries (83 years in Jersey compared to 80 years for high income average). However, healthy life expectancy overall is 64.4 years. Comparing this to overall life expectancy shows that Islanders could expect to live around 19 years in poor health (an average of 23.5 years for females, 15.9 years for males).

In 2024,14,200 individuals in Jersey had two or more long-term conditions (multi-morbidity), approximately 14% of Jersey's overall population. The proportion of the population with multi - morbidity increases with age.

Studies show that people with multiple chronic conditions typically suffer a lower quality of life, have more frequent and lengthy hospital admissions, have more complex care needs and may be more likely to die prematurely than those who do not have multi-morbidity.

Figure 20: Number of long-term health conditions[12] by age at the end of 2024 (source: Multi- Morbidity 2024 Report, Public Health (Health and Care Jersey)

Jersey Ageing Well Roadmap – 2025 update

The Jersey Ageing Well Roadmap was introduced in last year's CPP Annual Report to provide a framework to coordinate Ministerial activity across individual responsibilities. An update on the 5 themes of the Roadmap is provided below.

Healthy Ageing and Access to Services

The 2026 Budget has allocated new funding of £4 million per year for the Prevention First programme. Funds will be invested to reduce the incidence of five of the most common age - related illnesses (dementia, stroke, cancer, diabetes and heart disease), through:

• risk identification (health checks and digital tools to detect the early indicators of diabetes/heart disease);

• disease reduction through helping people with lifestyle changes (i.e. weight management, physical activity, nutrition, and mental wellbeing);

• earlier diagnosis of existing conditions (expansion of bowel cancer screening; introduction of lung cancer screening).

Investing in prevention is a practical, evidence-based means of reducing the prevalence of age - related illnesses (and consequently pressure on services) in the future, and helping us all to live longer, healthier lives.

Using funds from the Impact Jersey project, a number of projects were supported in 2025 that use technology to support older adults to remain healthy and living independently for longer. these include:

1. Physical health and fitness: Good Boost is an AI enabled, community-delivered therapeutic exercise programme being provided in Active Jersey locations, parish halls, and in partnership with the Government's physiotherapy department.
2. Social care: Orchid Care received a CareTech grant for its Technology Enabled Care service that helps older adults to stay well, and at home, for longer. Orchid Connect uses integrated home sensors and user-friendly wearable devices to deliver a hybrid healthcare service: one which respects patients' independence – and privacy – but still enables swift intervention when needed.
3. Management of chronic illness: Digital Jersey has commissioned a platform called LUSCII for use by the Family Nursing and Home Care team. A pilot using LUSCII will be launched on 1 January 2026. This platform will provide enhanced remote health monitoring (and proactive, targeted support) to enable people with long-term healthcare needs to continue to live independently. Luscii's apps will help caregivers (whether they are healthcare providers, or friends/family members) to more swiftly intervene in the event of a potential fall and will also be able to detect early signs of deterioration for more than 150 health conditions – reducing the likelihood of a hospital admission.

In addition, Digital Health (an advisory group supporting the digital transformation of Jersey's health and care system) will introduce Patients Know Best in 2026 – a citizen-facing platform which gives people direct access to their hospital test results and appointments. Over time, this will support greater self-management and coordination of care, especially for those with complex or chronic needs.

The expenditure of the Long-Term Care Fund continues to rise, driven in large part by Jersey's ageing population. The sustainability of the Fund is now a pressing concern. Ministers have initiated a comprehensive review of the scheme, focusing on:

• How benefit levels are determined

• How claimants' income and assets are assessed

• How services are delivered across the care sector.

The findings of this review will be presented to the incoming Council of Ministers, in summer 2026, to enable them to make informed decisions regarding the Fund's future. These decisions may result in an increase in the LTC rate paid by working Islanders, or an adjustment to the

scope – or value - of benefits provided.

Financial Security and Economic Participation

The Minister for Social Security has initiated a review of the Social Security Fund to support long-term planning by the next Government. This will include examining the Fund's purpose, objectives, and funding arrangements to ensure it continues to serve Islanders for many years to come. The review will be completed in summer 2026. The Minister for Social Security has also restarted work on developing a secondary pension scheme which will give all workers the opportunity to access a workplace pension.

Diverse Housing Choices and Options

Making right-sizing' easier

Further to the Minister for Housing's fulfilment (in May 2024) of Policy R3 in the Right-Sizing Policy, all social housing providers now have their own right-sizing policies in place.

In May 2025, the Housing Minister removed the capital assets limit from the social housing eligibility criteria through the Affordable Housing Gateway. In January 2026 the age limit to access the Affordable Housing Gateway will be lowered to 18 years old, following a reduction to 25 years old in September 2024. These changes remove barriers for Islanders seeking secure tenure, whilst supporting financial independence and savings.

Giving Islanders more choice

Supporting older islanders to live independently and well requires housing that is accessible, adaptable, and embedded within inclusive communities. Jersey's building byelaws have, since 2007, required all new dwellings to be constructed in ways that support reduced mobility. These byelaws are currently under review to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.

Jersey's Bridging Island Plan sets out a clear commitment to providing islanders with more housing choice, including Islanders with specific mobility or support needs. For example:

• Policy H4 – Housing Choice requires residential developments of five or more dwellings to include a proportion of smaller homes, encouraging right-sizing' and fostering intergenerational, inclusive neighbourhoods. Smaller units and supported housing are encouraged within built-up areas, where residents can access local services, public transport, and maintain connections with family and friends.

• Policy H7 – Supported Housing promotes the development of age-restricted homes (for people aged 55 and older), residential care homes, and extra-care housing. In addition, three sites have been zoned specifically for the provision of supported housing.

The Minister for the Environment has also issued revised supplementary planning guidance on residential space standards to ensure that homes are designed to allow for future adaptation and to support people to live independently for longer.

Participation and Social Inclusion

The Older Persons Living Forum meets every two months, bringing together community groups for Islanders aged 65 and above. The Forum continues to be a vital space for listening, learning, and shaping services that support older Islanders to live well.

Last year, the Government launched the Connect Me platform to support wellbeing and inclusion. Islanders can refer themselves into the free service through the Connect Me directory (online), or through their GP. Once referred, a social prescribing Link Worker takes time to understand the person's individual needs, interests, and challenges; then works with them to identify suitable community activities, and opportunities, to reduce social isolation

Social prescribing plays an important role in supporting older islanders to improve their mental health, wellbeing, and sense of connection. This year, approximately 40% of social prescribing referrals in Jersey have been for people aged 55 and older – activities have included walking groups, boxing classes, and arts and crafts (i.e. knitting, screen printing and singing) workshops.

The service works closely with a wide range of charities and organisations, including Age Concern, the Older Persons Living Forum, Family Nursing & Home Care, GP surgeries and the Parishes. By fostering these partnerships, Social Prescribing in Jersey continues to create accessible pathways for older people to reconnect with their communities and to enhance their overall quality of life.

Accessible Environments

The June 2025 proposition (P.50/2025) – Age Friendly Framework - highlighted the Island's ageing demographic and the risks of not supplying age-friendly joined up public infrastructure to address these shifts:

• Higher health and social care costs

• Increased falls and hospital admissions

• Social isolation and reduced independence

Following amendment, the States Assembly agreed to create an accessible, age-friendly infrastructure framework, whilst making it practical and aligned with broader policies.

Work to adapt Jersey's infrastructure for an ageing population is continuous and an integral part of the Infrastructure and Environment Department's (IED) activities, and existing strategies already provide a coordinated approach, and Manual for Streets' is used as best practice guidance in design, whilst flexibility is maintained to respond to site-specific constraints.

The Council of Ministers, through the work of IED, remain committed to:

• Embedding age-friendly design principles in all capital and maintenance projects.

• Continuing cross-departmental collaboration and stakeholder engagement.

• Delivering improvements proportionately and practically within existing resources.

Progress in 2025 reflects this ongoing commitment:

• Transport: Fully accessible bus fleet, concessionary passes, and PSV driver disability awareness training, taxi-cab service modernisation, and strengthening driving licence standards.

• Public Realm: Upgraded crossings, tactile paving, improved lighting, seating provision and walkable parish schemes in collaboration with accessibility NGOs.

• Parking and Planning: Increased disabled parking, improved quality and signage, and accessibility embedded in planning processes.

• Activity Infrastructure: Delivery of Inspiring an Active Jersey strategy through accessible facilities and programmes.

• Parks and Gardens: Provision of multi-generational accessible parks, gardens, and coastal promenades with sensory spaces, shaded seating, and rest facilities.

• Policy Integration: Age-friendly principles embedded in the Sustainable Transport Policy and Public Realm Guidelines.

The Jersey Community Transport scheme became fully operational in June 2025. The scheme aims to maximise existing minibus resources across Jersey and as such reduce transport barriers to participation and care. JCT has identified underused vehicles (including wheelchair accessible vehicles) and made them available to charities and non-profit organisations to book on a centralised system.  

The Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) team within government, in collaboration with partner organisations such as Liberate, Eyecan, and Autism Jersey, actively reviews and influences the design of public realm and major infrastructure projects to promote greater accessibility. In 2025, the technical team has contributed to projects including La Motte Street, New Cut, Broad Street, the Waterfront, the new hospital, and Elizabeth Terminal. In addition to supporting design development, the team also provides feedback on completed projects and offers guidance for ongoing improvements to ensure inclusive and accessible environments.

Appendix

In September 2025 Statistics Jersey published a suite of reports on the 2024 Population and Migration Statistics:

Population & Migration 2024 - Total population

Population & Migration 2024 - Residential & employment statuses Population & migration 2024 - Nationality & work permits

This report also makes use of:

Jersey Health Profile 2024

Statistics Jersey Population Projections 2023 to 2080 Jersey Children and Young Persons Survey Report 2024

Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey 2025 Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey 2024 Jersey Census 2021 Report

[1] Figures rounded to nearest 10. Rounded totals may not equal the sum of rounded individual parts.

[2] As well as net migration and natural change, revisions to the provisional population estimates can arise due to improvements in methods or additional data, and these are called administrative adjustments. While usually very small (less than 10), the administrative adjustment for 2023 was +110, due to the inclusion of a new data source identifying people who were resident throughout 2022 and 2023 who were not identified as such previously.

[3] Figures rounded to nearest 10. Rounded totals may not equal the sum of rounded individual parts.

[4] TFR is a measure of the number of children that a woman has across her lifetime.

[5] See Figure 3: Annual number of live births

[6] See Figure 6. Marital status per 1,000 adult population 1971 – 2021

[7] See Figure 7: Long term economic activity rates by sex 1961-2021 (adults 16 yrs and over)  

[8] See Figure 12: Main reasons for using childcare

[9] The age band of 16-64 is used internationally as a measure of working age population. In reality, many young people in Jersey will remain in education up to 18 or 21 and the pension age is increasing gradually to reach 67 in 2031,

[10] Population figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Change has been calculated using unrounded figures.

[11] Population figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Change has been calculated using unrounded figures.

[12]Multi-Morbidity Report 2024: The 12 long-term morbidities are: Atrial Fibrillation, Diabetes, Asthma, Heart Failure, Coronary Heart Disease, Hypertension, Chronic Kidney Disease, Mental Health Problems,

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Obesity, Dementia, Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack.