Chapter 3: Making Jersey Home
Housing
There is a range of property available in Jersey. There are, however, controls on who can live and work on the island and the properties that incoming residents can occupy. Due to the Control of Housing and Work Law, when relocating to Jersey, residents fall into one of four categories – Entitled, Licensed, Entitled to Work, and Registered.
Licensed residents are those who have been granted an essential employment permit by their employer to work and live in Jersey. They are granted when an employer is unable to recruit in Jersey. Licensed residents have the right to buy or lease any Qualified property when they arrive on the island as long as they remain ‘essentially employed’.
Entitled residents are those who are born in Jersey and have reached the aggregate residency period or those who have lived in Jersey for 10 years continuously. Entitled residents also include high net worth individuals who have made a significant financial contribution to the island. Those categorised as Entitled can purchase or lease any Qualified property.
Entitled to Work residents are those who have lived in Jersey for 5 consecutive years, or those who are married to or are in a civil partnership with someone who is Entitled or Licensed. Entitled to Work residents can buy property with an Entitled partner or lease a Registered property in their own name.
Registered residents are those who do not qualify to live in Jersey under any other category. They can move to Jersey in compliance with immigration restrictions. They are entitled to live and work in Jersey but there are restrictions to where they can live and work.
Property in Jersey falls under two categories – Qualified property and Registered property. Qualified properties can be occupied by Entitled, Licensed, and Entitled to Work residents. Registered property can be occupied by Entitled, Licensed, Entitled to Work, and Registered residents who hold a Jersey Registration Card.
Healthcare
Jersey is not part of the NHS, so you have to pay for most of your healthcare including visits to your GP and dentist, non-emergency treatment, and other related costs including travel.
You will need health insurance to cover any healthcare costs. The only free treatment is that which you receive from the Emergency Department.
Once you have resided in Jersey for six months, you can get a health card which helps with GP costs and GP prescriptions.
Jersey’s General Hospital provides a full range of services and specific treatments. There are also private healthcare options and over 20 GP surgeries.
Education
Education in Jersey ranges from nursery to higher education and is of a very high standard, with GCSE and A Level results equivalent to the top quarter of UK education standards.
Nursery schools for children under 3 are privately funded. Children start preschool at the age of 3. All preschoolers are allowed 20 hours per week for free at nursery.
Children attend primary school between ages 4 to 11 and follow the same curriculum as the UK. There are three types of school in Jersey – free States of Jersey schools, fee-paying States of Jersey schools, and private fee-paying schools which cost a third of those in the UK.
There are 4 state secondary schools in Jersey which children attend from ages 11-16 years. One school, Hautlieu, assists students aged 14-18 in which students can transfer to at 14 for GCSEs or 16 for A Levels. As with primary schools, there are also fee paying schools.
Many leave Jersey to pursue further education, but there is the option to stay on the island and attend Highlands College which is partnered with the University of Plymouth and offers many vocational and degree courses.