Short term work permits temporarily extended

Guernsey's government has agreed a temporary extension for holders of Short Term Employment Permits (STEPs) who are reaching their three-year limit.

The Home Affairs Committee has agreed to review the total length of a STEP following representations from the hospitality sector.

The extension to 31 January 2027 will be allowed for STEP holders whose permit expires on or after 3 April 2026, subject to them making an application.

Committee president Marc Leadbeater said the extension was intended to be long enough to review the States' position on STEP duration.

Leadbeater previously said Home Affairs had received calls, particularly from the hospitality sector, to extend STEPs to four years.

"This has arisen because, three years on from the STEP's introduction, the policy matures this year and some STEP holders will reach their three-year cap," he said.

Leadbeater said the temporary extension "should not be viewed as a definitive precursor" to a change to a four-year STEP.

"There are many demands to balance, not least the requirements we must follow to remain members of the Common Travel Area, and the pressure on local housing stock," he said.

"A Short-Term Employment Permit, by its very nature, is intended to be short term."

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