Health charge and no children among immigration rules ideas

Health charge and no children among immigration rules ideas

The Migration Policy Development Board has published an interim report in which it makes a number of suggestions it thinks should be considered for improving the current system, including some related to the access migrants have to services. The MPDB is currently working on population policy proposals to be put to ministers early next year.

It has also set out four ‘hypothetical’ new categories for controlling access to housing and work – including a nine-month licence to ease temporary labour shortages which comes with ‘highly restricted access to accommodation’ and would ban migrants from bringing children with them.

Other potential changes to the law include requiring all migrants to have a criminal record check – a system already in place for those applying for a nine-month work permit – and the possible withdrawal of a permission should a migrant commit a serious offence while in Jersey.

And while the report advises against restricting access to free education for migrant children, for example, it has suggested that consideration is given to introducing a new charge to cover access to healthcare to ease the financial pressures of future immigration.

Setting out the principles it is currently working to, the board says that current immigration levels are unsustainable and adds: ‘Control of Housing & Work Law permissions may require applicants to pay a contribution to cover access to Jersey healthcare as part of the application process.’

In the UK, the report says, migrants from outside the European Economic Area who apply for visas over six months have to pay an upfront health surcharge before they get that permission. Currently the fee is £400 per year of the visa, or, for example, £2,000 for a five-year visa. For a family of four applying for a five-year visa, the surcharge would be £8,000. The charge applies even if a migrant holds private health insurance.

The report states: ‘This charge could be relatively easily applied to third-country nationals as a requirement of the issuance of a visa by the Jersey Customs and Immigration Service.

‘Alternatively, the surcharge could be applied to the employer as part of a work permit fee. This could be set at a level to cover costs, or to dissuade applications for permits in certain sectors.’

Requiring new arrivals to have private health insurance, either personally or via their employer, is also considered as an option, but would be more expensive than a surcharge. The current six-month qualifying period for new migrants to apply for a health card and receive free hospital treatment could be extended either on its own or in addition to a new health surcharge, has also been considered. However, only the surcharge option appears in the board’s accepted principles.

The board now plans to consult on its findings and report back to the Council of Ministers, which aims to publish its report in March. The States would then debate ministers’ proposals in the spring.

Assistant Chief Minister Chris Taylor chairs the board. The other members are: Social Security Minister Judy Martin, Environment Minister John Young, Senator Sarah Ferguson, Deputy Rowland Huelin, Dr Michael Oliver Chamber of Commerce chief executive Murray Norton and John Shenton from the Institute of Directors.

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