Jersey’s 1 November staffing-fee trigger is separate from immigration work permits

Permissions held on 1 November trigger an annual staffing charge

Jersey’s official Employing Staff guidance identifies 1 November as the annual charging date for Licensed, Licensed for Lease Only and Standard staffing permissions. The fee applies to each permission held on that date even where the permission is unused. The published annual amounts are £247.02 for Licensed and Licensed for Lease Only permissions and £55.14 for Standard permissions. The bill is payable by 31 December. This is a follow-up to an existing annual requirement, not a newly announced immigration fee.

For an employer reviewing overseas recruitment, this means an unused staffing permission can still generate a charge. It is not the same transaction as paying for a named employee’s immigration work permit. The immediate accounting task is to compare the business’s permissions and the resulting bill, while the recruitment task is to establish what other approvals the proposed employee requires. Paying one charge does not itself answer the second question.

Standard is the renamed Registered status, not a new immigration route

The Government’s Control of Housing and Work business guidance explains that Standard replaced the Registered status label from 14 September 2026. It says the renamed status is treated in exactly the same way. Existing Registered-status holders do not have to change their status, and businesses do not have to amend their licences solely because of the new terminology. Records will be updated as they are renewed; the labels remain interchangeable during the transition.

This distinction matters when an employer compares an older registration card with a newer online form. A different label should not be treated as evidence that the worker has acquired different immigration rights. The business guidance is the resource for checking the status terminology and relevant licensing conditions. It also explains that a business licence does not substitute for permissions required under other legislation. Applicants should therefore keep the housing-and-work classification and the immigration permission as separate checks within the same recruitment file.

The employer must establish the work-permit route and evidence

Jersey’s Work Permit Policy gives employers the immigration checklist. A new work-permit application cannot be made more than three months before the proposed start date. An authorised person applies for the employer; employees cannot apply for their own permits. The specified evidence includes the passport details page, relevant existing UK permission where applicable, the business licence, qualifications, a signed employment contract and job description. English-language evidence is relevant for applications exceeding twelve months, with additional sector-specific evidence where required.

The detailed policy also lists exemptions, including British and Irish citizens and specified settled-status holders. Employers should use that policy to assess an actual individual rather than infer the answer solely from nationality or a general moving guide. Conversely, Jersey’s Moving to Jersey visa guidance warns that existing permission for the UK, Guernsey or Isle of Man may remove the need for another permission to visit Jersey but does not necessarily remove a Jersey work-permit requirement. A lawful visit and permission to take the proposed job remain different questions.

Budget for immigration separately and obtain permission before travel

The official Immigration and Nationality Fees page lists work-permit charges by duration: £85 for one month through six months, £115 for more than six through nine months, and £175 for more than nine through twelve months. The fee accompanies the work-permit application and is not refunded if it is refused. Further leave to remain is separately priced, including £943 for the long-term work-permit category and £340 for the temporary work-permit category. These amounts should not be combined into a universal price for every recruit.

The travel-document guidance says a required visa must be received before travel, using the UK visa application process. It advises holders of Jersey permission to carry official evidence of status, such as the work permit or employment contract. Employers and employees should establish the appropriate entry evidence before committing to a journey. Neither the 1 November staffing bill nor the September status rename establishes a visa decision, a work-permit approval or a guaranteed start date.

Where a carrier cannot confirm Jersey permission, the travel guidance advises asking it to contact the UK Carrier Support Hub, which operates around the clock.