Jersey was possibly one of the world’s best kept secrets until the late 1960’s when air travel made this idyllic gem a popular spot for holiday makers. Since then, it has earned its place on the international stage not only as a highly desirable destination but as a centre of excellence in offshore financial services. Our reputation in the world of agriculture dates back even further, the beautiful Jersey cow was first exported to America in 1850 and our famous potatoes were christened ‘Royal’ in tribute to the Queen.
The Jersey of the 21st Century is as beautiful as ever, with its history and heritage sites carefully protected and maintained and its planning laws ensuring that the wild dunes, magnificent coastal cliff paths and simply stunning beaches are preserved for all to enjoy.
Combine all of this with a vibrant, entrepreneurial and cosmopolitan community, outstanding eateries, high-class shopping, excellent transport links to the UK and Europe, a first-class education system and a real sense of safety and security and you’ll understand why island living offers such an appealing lifestyle to so many.
If you are considering relocating to Jersey as a High Value Resident or through work, the Island is also a very attractive location from a tax perspective:
We’ve been part of Jersey’s commercial world since 1934, serving the local community in all aspects of property matters and, to this day, enjoy a great reputation as well as a well-established, valued network of buyers, vendors and developers. We are familiar with the local regulatory framework and here to help whatever your situation - be it temporary rental accommodation while you familiarise yourself with the island or finding the home of your dreams - we’ll do all we can to make Jersey really feel like home.
The Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law has 5 categories of residential and employment status. These determine where you can live and work in Jersey and are summarised below:
Entitled Resident
Individuals who have lived in Jersey for 10 years. These individuals can rent and/or purchase any property from the housing market.
Entitled (conditions apply) High Value Residents 2(1)(e)
The HVR programme is a route to residency for High Net Worth Individual’s (HNWI’s) looking to live and/or work in Jersey. It is not a citizenship by investment scheme. HNWIs who are approved will need UK immigration clearance to be able to live and work in Jersey. The programme allows the individual to move to Jersey as an Entitled resident (with conditions) which gives access to the housing and work market.
HNWI’s who move to Jersey as an approved 2(1)(e) resident have a tiered rate of tax on personal worldwide income of:
To be eligible to apply for HVR – 2(1)(e) status you must be able to demonstrate:
This does not guarantee the success of an application, and other qualifying social and economic factors will also be taken into consideration.
Purchasing Property as a High Value Resident
Should your application be successful, and you take up permanent residency in Jersey, there is a minimum expected value in terms of the property that you buy or rent.
The purchase price for a high value property is typically considered to be at least £3.5million for a house and £1.75million for an apartment.
If you decide to rent a property, it should be of the same saleable value. However, there is an expectation that after 12 months you show a commitment to Jersey by purchasing your own property.
Licensed Individuals
Licensed individuals such as business principals relocating to the Island, can rent or buy any property, apart from first time buyer or social rented housing. There are no expectations from the Population Office in regard to the value of the property they buy or rent, however licensed individuals are only allowed to own and occupy one property as their sole or principal place of residence.
It is also worth noting, should an individual lose their Licensed status and have not completed 10 years continuous residency they can no longer own, rent, or occupy a ‘qualified’ property. The individual would be expected to sell an owned property, or leave a rental property, unless they can find employment within another Licensed role within 3 months.
Entitled For Work Residents
Entitled for Work only residents can buy property jointly with an Entitled or Licensed spouse or civil partner. They can also lease Registered property in their name as their main place of residence.
Registered Individuals
This is an individual who does not qualify for any of the above categories. However, they can buy or lease a ‘Registered’ property (formally known as Non-Qualified) as their main place of residence. Once a Registered individual has completed 10 years continuous residency, they become Entitled and can purchase or rent any property.
Please contact Jon Rabey, Head of High Value Residency on 07829881441 or email jonr@gaudin.je and/or Bradley Vowden, Partner on 07797763372 or bradleyv@gaudin.je in complete confidence to discuss your potential move to Jersey.