More health staff eligible for work permits in Guernsey as rules are relaxed

More health staff are now eligible for work permits in Guernsey. It means they can stay longer than previously allowed in the Bailiwick. Immigration permits will also cover semi-qualified and non-qualified healthcare workers, as well as qualified staff. The change in criteria takes Guernsey in line with the UK's permit system and hopes to ease the shortage of workers.

It will enable Health and Social Care and other HSC employers to be more flexible when looking to recruit staff into supporting roles.

Semi-qualified staff will be able to apply for a three-year permit and non-qualified staff will be able to apply for one year.

This can be extended if they increase their qualifications during employment.

Deputy Rob Prow, President of the Committee for Home Affairs, said: “The Committee is always looking at ways in which we can help industry and employers by streamlining the processes which take place locally when they look to recruit staff from overseas.

"It is hoped that both of these changes will give more options to those employers and allow them to be more flexible when recruiting staff."