Moving to Jersey: Find a job

Finding a job in Jersey

Jersey has a range of job opportunities in various industries and its own employment laws.

If you don’t have a job already, you should look for job opportunities and potential employers before moving to the island.

Employment statuses and registration cards

Before you apply for a job in Jersey, you need to be aware that there may be restrictions based on your residential and employment status.

Residential and employment statuses

Visas and work permits

British citizens and nationals of a member state of the European Economic Area (EAA) don’t need a work permit to work in Jersey.

The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It allows them to be part of the EU’s single market.

Switzerland is neither an EU nor EEA member but is part of the single market - this means Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in Jersey as other EEA nationals.

If you’re a Commonwealth citizen coming to Jersey for a working holiday, you don’t need a work permit but you will have to obtain entry clearance before arriving in Jersey.

Everyone else will require a work permit which has to be applied for by your prospective employer.

Looking for a job

There are many different ways to research job opportunities in Jersey.

Jersey employers often use recruitment or employment agencies to screen candidates and find suitable employees. This is particularly the case for specialist or senior level jobs. Some agencies focus on certain sectors, whilst others are more general. These agencies get a finder’s fee from the employer when they successfully place someone in a job.

Some jobs are not advertised, so contacting employers directly is encouraged. Even if they don’t have a suitable job available at that time, the people you talk to may keep your CV on file to consider for future roles. They may even provide you with contact details for other employers they know that may be interested in taking you on.

The two main public forums for job adverts are the Jobs in Jersey section of the government website and the Jobs section of the Jersey Evening Post website. Both display available roles by sector, making it easier to focus on the right jobs.

The Government of Jersey has a specific recruitment website called One Team Jersey for executive level roles.

Consider your references

As part of the recruitment process in Jersey, employers may ask for a reference from your previous employer to gain further insight into your skills and work history.

An employer may ask for multiple references. It’s important to contact each reference to let them know that they may be asked to supply a reference or be contacted by a hiring employer.

Prepare for your job search

When looking for work, most Jersey employers will expect you to have a current CV. Your CV should include your qualifications, work history, skills, and other experiences.

To accompany your CV, you should include a covering letter. This should be a one page sales pitch about why you are the ideal candidate for the job.

If you’re invited to an interview, do your research on the business and be prepared with examples from previous roles where you demonstrated the key skills the job requires.

Setting up or moving a business to Jersey

If you want to become self-employed, set up a business, or move a business to Jersey, by law you must have a licence from the Business Licensing team before you can trade.

These licences are usually only granted to people who have been living in the island continuously for the past 5 years, or who have 'Entitled' status. There can be exceptions where the business is specialised or it has significant economic or social value to Jersey.

You can speak to the Business Licensing team at Customer and Local Services for advice, or you can contact Locate Jersey.

Locate Jersey is the government team whose role is to promote Jersey as a place to live and do business, help with the application process for relocating businesses and high net worth individuals, and provide aftercare services to clients once established on the island. They provide a free, independent, impartial and confidential service.