Chief Minister: 'Strengthening immigration rules will minimise risk of abuse'

Island businesses will have to undertake 'exhaustive' recruitment process

Island businesses will have to undertake a full and ‘exhaustive’ recruitment process in the UK and Common Travel Area before being allowed to seek staff from further afield.

The chief minister says if companies can't provide proper evidence they’ve conducted an in-depth search visas will no longer be issued.

The Immigration Service is introducing major reforms to immigration rules to broadly align them with the UK.

The changes build on the policy direction set out in the Council of Ministers Update Report on Inward Migration which was received by Tynwald in 2025 and the Securing Our Island strategy.

These affirm government’s commitment to pursuing appropriate inward migration alongside investment in upskilling Isle of Man workers, enhancing security of the Island’s border and the integrity of the Common Travel Area and responding to employer needs where skills cannot be found on-Island.

Government says they will also manage the demand on public services, support sustainable economic growth and reduce the risk of exploitation of the immigration system.

The key changes to the ‘Worker Migrant’ route include:

• Updated occupational classifications aligned to the UK 2020 SOC occupation codes and skill levels, alongside updated salary requirements, better reflecting today’s labour market.
• Focusing on higher skilled roles, with medium skilled roles considered only where they are identified as necessary through a new Isle of Man Shortage Occupation List.
• Enhanced recruitment requirements through the new Sequential Labour Market Test replacing the Resident Labour Market Test and prioritising recruitment from within the Isle of Man and then the Common Travel Area, with recruitment outside of the CTA as a final option.
• Tighter restrictions on which roles under the Worker Migrant route are eligible to bring certain dependants.
• Restrictions on the ability for individuals on a Worker Migrant Visa to change employers within the first 12 months of their visa.
• Introduction of a new requirement for employers to adhere to the Employer Compliance Policy, strengthening how compliance will be checked and enforced.
• Tighter controls on an employer sponsoring a migrant with the introduction of a Confirmation of Employment Policy.

The changes will only apply to new visa or permission applications.

Individuals already living and working in the Isle of Man under an existing and valid Worker Migrant visa will not be impacted.

Alfred Cannan told Manx Radio it’s time to strengthen safeguards to reduce the risk of abuse: