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Stricter immigration controls

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WQ.87/2022

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS

BY DEPUTY C.S. ALVES OF ST. HELIER

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 7th MARCH 2022 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 14th MARCH 2022

Question

Since the introduction of work permits and stricter immigration controls following Brexit, will the Minister advise –

  1. how many people, if any, have had to be removed from the Island for being in breach of these controls; and
  2. what procedure was followed in the lead-up to the removal?

Answer

For clarity, immigration controls have not become stricter since Brexit, immigration work permits have been in place since 1995. The difference, post-Brexit, is simply that these controls now affect EEA and Swiss (EU) nationals that arrived in the Island for the first time since 31st December 2020. A concession period was in place during the first 6 months of 2021 which enabled EU nationals, who should have acquired a visa prior to arrival, to regularise their immigration permission without having to leave the Island.

  1. In 2021, 62 people who were present in the Island had their immigration ‘permission to remain’ curtailed, 5 of these were EU nationals and a further 3 EU nationals were refused entry at the border. None were subject to removal proceedings.
  2. None of the 62 who had their immigration permission curtailed were arrested or detained. All 62 were spoken to in person by Customs & Immigration Officers to explain the reasons for the curtailment and were given a period of time, often up to 10 days, to voluntarily leave the Island, which they all did.