Employing staff (registration cards)

​​Employing staff and essential checks

When you start a business, you need a business licence. Once you have a business licence, you can employ staff.

Find information on starting up a business.

Before employing someone you must check that they have a registration card.

A registration card shows the person's residential and employment status. There are 4 categories of statuses:

• entitled
• entitled for work
• licensed
• registered

How to get a registration card

Learn more on residential and employment statuses and what they mean.

When the person shows you their registration card:

• check that the card is in date
• ask for photo ID
• if their status is licensed or registered, make sure your business licence allows you to employ someone with this status
  

If you decide to employ the person, you should:

• photocopy the registration card
• photocopy the photo ID
• return the registration card to the employee

When you need permission to employ someone

You can employ as many staff as you wish with entitled or entitled for work status.

However, you need permission from the Business Hub to employ anyone with licensed or registered status.

Depending on their nationality, your prospective employee may also need an immigration work permit. You must have a licensed or registered permission before you can apply to Immigration for a work permit. Find more information on work permits: make an application, including who needs them, fees and how to apply.

The 3 stage residency and nationality check to complete before offering employment in Jersey

When you do not need permission to employ someone

Second jobs

Unless a person is restricted otherwise by an immigration permission, you can employ any number of part-time staff if they are already employed using a registered permission with another employer and are continuing to work for that employer. You can do this without affecting your staffing limits or asking Business Licensing for permission.

Businesses need to include details of these part-time workers on their Combined Employer Return but to mark as exempt in the manpower section. The same rules apply to licensed workers. These rules currently apply until 31 December 2025.

Policy for granting licensed or registered permissions 

Licensed permissions allow people to work and have access to buy or rent qualified housing, providing they remain in their licensed role. These permissions help employers recruit staff in essential (senior) posts when it's in the best interests of the community.

Registered permissions allow people to work and rent registered accommodation.

When deciding to grant permissions for you to employ staff with licensed or registered status, we'll consider: 

• protecting and maximising the benefits of Jersey's resources
• promoting a balanced and successful economy
• protecting the integrity and reputation of Jersey in commercial and financial matters
• any relevant policies of the Government of Jersey
• whether such a grant would be in the public interest

Permissions are restricted to maximise opportunities for residents with entitled or entitled for work status and control population growth.

See the business licensing guidance notes for more details on the law and policy on granting licensed and registered permissions.

Apply to employ licensed or registered staff

To complete the online application you need:

• details of your current staffing numbers, broken by residential status and contract type
• details of the roles you’re seeking permission for including: 
• salary
• experience and qualifications required
• evidence of where you have advertised the roles you’re applying for permissions. For example, a photo of the job advert or email confirmation from the Back to Work Recruitment team or recruitment firm
• results of your recruitment: 
• how many people applied for the roles
• details of why each entitled or entitled to for work applicant was unsuccessful
• information about your:
• training
• development
• succession planning
• evidence of your financial contribution to the island, including:
• profits
• salary costs
• tax benefits
• evidence of wider benefits to the community that will occur as a result of granting the permission. For example, job creation, training or important services provided to islanders
• if you know, the identity of your potential employee the application form will check if you need an immigration work permit

Apply for registered and or licensed staff

Fees for licensed or registered permissions

There's an annual fee for each permission you hold on 1 November of each year.

You don't need to do anything. If your application is successful you'll receive a bill payable by 31 December.

Cards for licensed employees

When recruiting someone with a licensed status, you need to complete an application for a licensed registration card.

Your employee needs this to be able to get a registration card from the Customer Hub at Union Street​.

Staffing limits

Your staffing limits can be found on your business licence.

Staffing limits set out the number of licensed and registered individuals you're allowed to employ. This may be zero.

Your staffing limits also specify if there are roles or individuals that you must use the permissions for.

Check your business licence to know your staffing limits or contact Business Licensing to get a copy.

You must not go over your staffing permissions. Exceeding your limit is against the law.

You don't need to tell us when you recruit a new employee covered by the staffing limits on your business licence. This is picked up through your manpower return.

Temporary staff from an agency

If you employ temporary staff through a recruitment agency, you don't need to see their registration card. They are covered by the agency's business licence.

Using Back to Work Recruitment to find staff

Back to Work Recruitment can help to fill any vacancies you have within your business. They're similar to a regular recruitment agency but offer all services free of charge.

A range of incentives are available to employers using this service.