How is Jersey Recruitment Changing:

As part of our commitment to being a leader in the Jersey recruitment space, we’re always looking at how employment and recruitment across the island is changing year to year.

Employment law changes regularly, meaning employers have to be on their toes regarding how they operate and the different regulations they might have to follow.

Below we outline how Jersey recruitment is changing and what that means for the Jersey jobs market as a whole.

What does the Jersey recruitment market look like right now?

As of 2024, the total number of jobs in the Jersey economy is around 64,200 and has increased by 700 (1.1%) year-on-year.

The three main sectors that saw an increase in jobs are: private education, health and other services (up by 290 jobs or 3%), hotels, restaurants and bars (up by 280 jobs or 5%) and the public sector (up by 380).

Despite these increases, the financial and legal activities sector remains the largest across the island, with nearly 21% of the workforce operating in this industry. There are around 690 private companies operating under this demographic, meaning there’s huge opportunities for workers seeking a role in professional services.

With 84% of the Jersey working-age population currently employed, employers recruiting in Jersey should also note that there is a huge pool of talent to choose from, although a significant part of it may be operating within the ‘passive candidate market’.

What changes are being made to Jersey recruitment?

As of 2024, there are several changes to Jersey employment laws and recruitment that need to be taken note of:

Minimum wage increases: The minimum wage in Jersey is now ￡11.64 an hour – translating to ￡407.40 a week and ￡21,184 a year for anyone working 35 hours a week. Likewise, trainee wages have been scrapped as of 2024, with the minimum wage now applying to all employees.

Maximum statutory redundancy cap increases: The maximum statutory redundancy cap for a week’s pay will now automatically increase each year. While the current cap is ￡920 a week, this will increase every September based on the average earnings of Jersey employees.

Parental bereavement leave: Jersey has now introduced parental bereavement leave for the first time, with working parents entitled to two weeks of unpaid leave if a child under the age of 18 passes away. This leave can be taken in three separate periods without any need for notice and applies to every employee regardless of time in the role. Anyone using the leave is also automatically qualified for up to ￡920 a week.

Potential changes to Jersey recruitment law going forward:

Flexible working: While flexible working is a statutory right in Jersey already, the number of times that an employee can make a request to change their work hours, start time, finish time and work environment (remote or hybrid, for example) may change going forward. Employees will now be able to make a request to change the above twice a year, as opposed to the once a year rule currently in place.

Notice periods: Proposals have been put forward for notice periods to increase on a scale up to 12 weeks for professionals that have been in continuous employment for at least eight years. On the other end of the scale, those working in a role for less than two years may see their notice period for redundancy rise to four weeks under new proposals.

How can employers maximise the potential of Jersey recruitment?

For employers operating in Jersey, there’s a huge amount of potential in the market that may be going untapped. The island is home to a number of ambitious, talented professionals and there’s also plenty of opportunities for skilled professionals currently operating in the mainland UK that may find success in Jersey – it just requires the right recruitment partners to bring everything together.

As one of the leading Jersey recruitment agencies, AD Offshore is dedicated to being the link between top employers on the island and skilled candidates currently working in professional services such as banking, finance and legal to name a few sectors.

If you’re looking to start a recruitment drive, we’re able to provide the local market knowledge and access to the passive candidate market that ensures you’re finding the right candidates for your business.

You can read more about our services and how we facilitate Jersey recruitment here, plus some of the specific support we’re able to offer employers.