A JERSEY student has concluded that a subsidised rent scheme for young Islanders could play a key role in tackling the Island’s “bean drain”, using research supported by All Island Media.
Jonathan Marett, a graduate of the University of Stirling, has spent months examining why so many young people leave Jersey and fail to return after university, using research conducted and published by the JEP and its sister publication, the Bailiwick Express.
His dissertation – entitled “Factors that are potentially dissuading graduates from returning to the island of Jersey” – argued that targeted housing support, alongside better engagement with young people, could help reverse the trend.
Mr Marett explained that “increased graduate migration” from Jersey has “sparked concern” in recent years.
“As a Jersey resident, I believe this situation is an important one to investigate in order to protect my home from future economic turmoil,” the student said.
Drawing on surveys of Islanders aged 18 to 30 and interviews with teachers, professionals and families, his dissertation found that decisions about whether to stay or leave are often made much earlier than expected.
Rather than being shaped solely during university, Mr Marett found that “Islanders typically decided whether they would migrate in earlier stages of life”.
Among the strongest influences were the cost of housing, limited job variety outside the finance sector, and social factors such as family expectations and peer pathways.
Mr Marett suggested that “highlighting pathways pursuable on-Island as opposed to the more traditional university route would not directly reduce the numbers of people migrating”.
He added: “If students are not constantly being told that they should and will move away from the Island, they may be able to foster a greater spatial belonging, making islanders more receptive to the idea of living and working in Jersey.”
The high cost of living also emerged as a recurring theme, particularly for those considering returning after studying in the UK.
“The Island’s high cost of housing is at the forefront of migration decision-making
amongst young people,” wrote Mr Marett.
For many respondents, the price of housing was not just a barrier but a decisive factor – with the University of Stirling student concluding that policy intervention could make a meaningful difference.
“A subsidised rent scheme for young people as well as a greater level of communication between the government and young people could be effective tools in reducing youth migration, allowing Jersey to sustain itself for generations to come,” wrote Mr Marett.
Such a scheme, he suggested, would ease the financial pressure on graduates at the start of their careers, making it more viable to return to Jersey rather than settle elsewhere.
His dissertation also highlights a perceived disconnect between young Islanders and decision-makers. Respondents indicated that clearer communication and more visible pathways into careers on the Island could help rebuild confidence in staying or returning.
Mr Marett also suggested that “more work needs to be done to diversify the range of financially supportive careers” in Jersey, with 59.4% of his survey respondents agreeing that “improving the diversity of the job market in Jersey is a necessity in making the island more attractive for young people”.
