Population policy consultation

About the consultation

People in Jersey have been discussing the size of the Island population for many years, and plans have been put forward by successive Governments to keep the population at a certain level. Despite these plans, the Island has seen a steady growth in population in recent years.

The population today is over 100,000, and at present the local economy relies on people coming from outside Jersey to work here. We will have an accurate population figure next year when the March 2021 Census results are published.

Some people think that the Island is overcrowded, and we should limit the number of new people who come here to work and live. Others believe Jersey will always require migrant workers in industries like agriculture, hospitality and finance and to provide specific skills not available in the Island.

This Government has agreed to develop a population policy that will consider how best to balance the overall needs of Jersey’s economy, environment and community. The policy will also need to plan for an Island community that is getting older.

People in Jersey today are living longer, this presents challenges that we share with the UK and most other European countries. Today there are more people celebrating their 65th birthday than celebrating their 18th birthday. The number of people aged over 65 will grow steadily over the next 20 years, whatever population or migration policy we adopt. Without inward migration, the size of the workforce will get smaller. We are likely to need more workers to help run our health services and care for older generations in the future; on current trends in 2030 it is predicted there will be 3 times as many people over the age of 85 in Jersey compared to 2010.

The Government of Jersey has agreed that it will publish and review a population policy on a regular basis. This policy will need to adapt to local influences, such as the evolution of the future Island economy, and external factors such as climate change and the impact of new technology on the world of work.

The population policy will need to consider all aspects of island life, education and skills, the economy, the level of taxes versus the level of public services and benefits, the protection of the environment, the provision of utilities such as power and water, housing and transport policies, the health service, and overall community and inclusion issues. A successful policy will look to balance these competing pressures. 

We appreciate that there are strongly held views on this topic, there is no single answer to this problem and there are no easy solutions.

This consultation is open to everyone living in Jersey as well as Islanders currently residing elsewhere, who may wish to contribute to the discussion. We are interested in the views of people who have just arrived, people who have moved and built their lives here over many years, people who have lived here all their lives and those who live elsewhere but may eventually return. As well as this consultation, we have run focus groups and are talking to a wide range of businesses and community organisations. 

The results of the focus groups, online consultation, and individual discussions and submissions will be collated and published in the autumn. The population policy proposals will be discussed by States Members at the end of 2021.

Further information on the development of the population policy can be found here.

How to submit comments to the consultation

​Complete the population survey

The online questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete. You can add comments but you can also email the Population Office if you would like to make a longer submission.

Population consultation privacy policy

Download a pdf copy of the questionnaire

You can download a copy of the consultation questionnaire and return it to: 

Population Policy Consultation, 19-21 Broad Street, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3RR

Population Policy Survey - English.pdf

Population Policy Survey - Portuguese.pdf

Population Policy Survey - Polish.pdf

Population Policy Survey - Romanian.pdf