While you might understand what Jersey is like and how to get here, what about the lifestyle and cost of living?
Below, we explore the accommodation, healthcare and education aspects of living in Jersey, all of which are key pillars of everyday life.
Accommodation in Jersey
There is a wide range of property available in Jersey, although there are rules on who can live and work on the island and the properties that incoming residents are able to purchase or occupy.
As laid out by the Control of Housing and Work Law, individuals that relocate to Jersey can fall into one of four categories – Entitled, Licensed, Entitled to Work and Registered.
Entitled: An Entitled resident is someone who was born in Jersey and has reached the aggregate residency period or those who have resided in Jersey for 10 continuous years. An Entitled resident may also include high net worth individuals that have made a significant financial contribution towards the island. If you have Entitled status, you can purchase or lease any qualified property.
Licensed: A Licensed resident is a resident who has been granted an ‘essential employment permit’ by their employer, meaning they can work and live in Jersey. These are granted when an employer is unable to recruit in Jersey. Licensed residents can buy or lease any qualified property when they arrive on the island, provided they remain an ‘essential employee’.
Entitled to Work: An Entitled to Work resident is someone that has lived in Jersey for 5 consecutive years or is married to someone that is Entitled or Licensed. With this status, an individual can buy a property with an Entitled partner or lease a Registered property in their own name.
Registered: A Registered resident is one that does not qualify to live in Jersey under any other category. They can move to Jersey provided they comply with immigration restrictions and they’re entitled to live and work in Jersey with some restrictions.
Property in Jersey falls into two categories – Qualified and Registered.
A Qualified property can be occupied by Entitled, Licensed and Entitled to Work residents.
A Registered property can be occupied by Entitled, Licensed, Entitled to Work and Registered residents that have a Jersey Registration Card.
Healthcare in Jersey
Jersey is not part of the NHS, so you have to pay for the majority of your healthcare, including visits to the GP and dentist, non-emergency treatment and other costs that may apply such as travel healthcare.
You require health insurance to cover healthcare costs. The only free treatment is available from the Emergency Department.
Once you’ve lived in Jersey for six months, you can apply for a health card which helps with GP costs and prescriptions.
Jersey’s General Hospital provides a full range of services and treatments, with private healthcare options and GP surgeries located across the island.
Education in Jersey
Jersey’s educational standard continues to operate at a high-level, with GCSE and A-Level results equivalent to the top quarter of UK educational results.
There are educational options available from the ages of 3 to school-leaving age.
Nursery schools for children under 3 are privately funded and children start pre-school at the age of 3. All preschoolers are allowed 20 hours per week for free at nursery.
Children attend primary school from 4 – 11 and follow the same curriculum as the UK. The types of schools in Jersey are: States of Jersey schools (free), States of Jersey schools (paid) and private schools (paid, typically costing a third of those in the UK).
There are four state secondary schools in Jersey which children attend from 11 – 16. As with the primary schools, there are also fee-paying schools available.
It’s common for those that want to pursue higher education to leave the island but Jersey does have Highlands College for those who want to stay. Highlands College is partnered with the University of Plymouth and has a range of both vocational and degree courses.