The Isle of Man Government has confirmed it is engaging with major global employment platform providers after an MHK pointed out that Gibraltar is recognised by two of the industry's biggest companies while the island is not.

The issue was raised during the final Question Time of the current administration in Tynwald on Tuesday, when Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse asked Chief Minister Alfred Cannan what action was being taken to ensure the island is recognised as a supported territory by major Employer of Record (EOR) providers.

EOR providers, including companies such as Deel and Remote.com, enable businesses to employ staff in countries where they do not have a legal entity by managing payroll, tax and employment compliance on their behalf.

Mr Moorhouse has argued that the island's absence from some of the largest providers is preventing residents from securing remote jobs with international companies and could undermine the government's ambitions to grow the working population.

Responding in Tynwald, Mr Cannan explained that the island was already served by some EOR providers, but acknowledged work was ongoing to encourage wider coverage.

He said: 'These services are already available in the island. The question is therefore not whether the island is able to support these providers, but to what extent which global providers choose to include the Isle of Man within their service offering.

'What I can tell the court is that the Department for Enterprise has recently been engaging with a number of major employer of record providers to ensure they have a clear understanding of the Isle of Man's position and to explore opportunities for broader coverage.'

Mr Moorhouse welcomed confirmation that discussions were taking place but urged the Chief Minister to give the issue 'an extra push'.

He said the largest providers had the potential to make 'a massive impact on the local economy'.

The MHK then highlighted Gibraltar as an example of what could be achieved.

He said: 'Is the Chief Minister aware that Gibraltar, with a population of only 33,000, is actually listed with the two largest providers, Deel and Remote.com?

'If we could move forward in this area, we could really have that advantage that many individuals are looking for when they're choosing to relocate.'

In response, Mr Cannan said the Department had already engaged with relevant providers to ensure the island's position was understood and to explore opportunities for wider coverage where there was 'a clear economic benefit'.

However, he added: 'The Isle of Man is served by a number of employer of record providers and, of course, we can't always dictate which jurisdiction particular employers choose to use as a commercial destination.'

Mr Moorhouse also questioned whether the government had assessed how many remote workers currently live in the island, arguing the sector represented an important opportunity as ministers seek to increase the population.

Mr Cannan replied that while the government's stated aim had been to grow the working population, something he said had been achieved 'with significant hard work over the last few years', more detailed information on remote workers was still needed.

He said: 'There is clearly a piece of work that is needed. I think this member probably will be looking to the next census to really get a full, accurate picture of who's doing what and who's residing on our island.'