Employing staff (registration cards)

​​​​​​​Employing staff and essential checks

When you start a business, you need a business licence. Once you have a business licence, you can employ staff.

Find information on starting up a business.

Before employing someone you must check that they have a registration card.

A registration card shows the person's residential and employment status, which will be one of the following:

How to get a registration card

Learn more on residential and employment statuses and what they mean.

When the person shows you their registration card:

• check that the card is in date
• ask for photo ID

• if their status is Licensed, Licensed  for Lease Only or Standard, make sure your business licence allows you to employ someone with this status
  

If you decide to employ the person, you should:

• photocopy the registration card
• photocopy the photo ID
• return the registration card to the employee

When you need permission to employ someone

You can employ as many staff as you wish with Permanent Entitled, Entitled or Entitled for Work Only status.

However, you need permission from the Business Hub to employ anyone with Licensed,  Licensed for Lease Only or Standard status. ​

Depending on their nationality, your prospective employee may also need an immigration work permit. Your employer must have a Licensed, Licensed for Lease Only or Standard permission for you, before you can apply to Immigration for a work permit.

Find more information on work permits: make an application, including who needs them, fees and how to apply.​

When you don't nee​d permission to emplo​y someone​

There are exemptions under the Control ​of Housing and Work Law to help individuals and businesses under certain circumstances.

Find more information ​in the Control of Housing and Work (Licences and Exemptions) (Jersey) Order 2026​ on Jersey Law​ or contact Business Licensing.

Second jobs

Unless a person is restricted otherwise by an immigration permission, you can employ any number of part-time staff if they are already employed by another employer for more than 25 hours per week.​ You can do this without affecting your staffing limits or asking Business Licensing for permission.

Businesses need to include details of these part-time workers on their Combined Employer Return but to mark as exempt in the manpower section. The same rules apply to licensed and licensed lease only workers. ​

Policy for granting Standard, Licensed for Lease Only or Licensed permissions​ 

Standard permissions allow people to work and rent registered accommodation. Applications to employ Standard workers must have an annual salary threshold of £30,000 or the specific job’s ‘going rate’. Applications for permission to employ Standard workers as short-term seasonal workers or on temporary immigration work permits will generally be supported.

Licensed for Lease Only permissions allow people to work and have access to rent qualified housing, providing they remain in their role. Applications for Licensed for Lease Only permissions must meet the following qualifying criteria:​

• the role meets a salary threshold of £54,000
• the role is below the salary threshold but is listed as a qualifying role

Licensed permissions allow people to work and have access to buy or rent qualified housing, providing they remain in their role. Applications for Licensed permissions must meet the following qualifying criteria: ​

• the role meets a salary threshold of £60,000
  
• ​the role is below the salary threshold but is listed as a qualifying role

Before applying for additional permissions, the business should check that it doesn’t already have spare permissions that could be used and that it can satisfactorily explain why they have been unable to find entitled / entitled for work candidates.

For more information see Control of Housing and Work (CHW) Law: business licensing and employee status guidance for a full list of qualifying roles and more details on the law and policy on granting licensed lease only, licensed and registered permissions.​

Apply to employ Licensed, Licensed for Lease Only or Standard staff ​

​To complete the online application you need: 

• details of the roles you are seeking Standard, Licensed for Lease Only or Licensed permission for including:​
  
• ​salary 
• experience and qualifications 
• contract type and contracted hours 
• ​what you have done to find suitable Permanent Entitled / Entitled /Entitled for Work Only candidates ​
• what your business does to attract, retain and develop staff 
• details of identified candidates you wish to employ along with why they’re most suited (if relevant)  

Apply for staffing permissions​

Fees for Licensed, Licensed for Lease Only or Standard permissions ​

There's an annual fee for each permission you hold on 1 November of each year. You will be charged for the permission even if you are not using it.

You don't need to do anything. If your application is successful you'll receive a bill payable by 31 December.

Cards for Licensed and Licensed for Lease Only employees ​

If you hire someone with a Licensed or Licensed for Lease Only status, you need to complete an application for a registration card.

Application for a Licensed or Licensed for Lease Only r​egistration card​

Your employee needs this to be able to get a registration card from the Customer Hub at Union Street​.

Staffing limits

Your staffing limits can be found on your business licence.

Staffing limits set out the number of Licensed, Licensed for Lease Only​ and Standard individuals you're allowed to employ​.​ This may be zero.

Your staffing limits also specify if there are roles or individuals that you must use the permissions for.

Check your business licence to know your staffing limits or contact Business Licensing to get a copy.

You must not go over your staffing permissions. Exceeding your limit is against the law.

You don't need to tell us when you recruit a new employee covered by the staffing limits on your business licence. This is picked up through your manpower return.

Temporary staff from an agency

If you employ temporary staff through a recruitment agency, you don't need to see their registration card. They are covered by the agency's business licence.

Using Back to Work Recruitment to find staff

Back to Work Recruitment can help to fill any vacancies you have within your business. They're similar to a regular recruitment agency but offer all services free of charge.

A range of incentives are available to employers using this service.