A campaign group is calling protections to be put in place for people who moved to the Isle of Man under existing five-year settlement routes.

Fair Settlement Isle of Man’s campaign follows the UK Government’s proposed ‘earned settlement’ reforms, which could increase the standard qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain from five years to 10 years for many migrants.

For many island residents who relocated under a published five-year route, this could mean facing an additional five years or more of visa renewals, costs and uncertainty before they can settle permanently.

Some lower-paid or below-degree-level roles could potentially facing longer routes unless specific earnings or contribution criteria are met.

Fair Settlement Isle of Man has warned that waiting for the UK to finalise its position could leave the Isle of Man reacting too late to protect its own workforce and retain the people it recruited to fill critical skills shortages.

It has launched a public petition calling for the issue to be discussed in Tynwald and for firm commitments on transitional protections.

The issue is not about stopping future immigration reform, it says, but taking action now to protect a small, identifiable cohort of people who are already living, working and contributing here.

‘Changing the rules for future arrivals is one thing. Changing them for people already here is another,’ said Vanessa Naudé of Fair Settlement Isle of Man.

‘These are not people who exploited a loophole. They responded to real workforce needs.

‘They came to fill jobs that could not be filled locally, moved families, enrolled children in schools, paid taxes, bought or rented homes, joined communities and built lives here on the basis of a published five-year route to settlement.’

The issue has been raised in a Tynwald question from Douglas East MHK Joney Faragher, who asked whether the Isle of Man would seek a carve-out to retain the five-year settlement pathway for migrants already resident under existing rules.

In response, Treasury Minister Chris Thomas said no specific discussions had yet taken place with the UK Home Office about creating a separate pathway, but that once there was clarity from the UK, Government would assess the implications for the island.

Survey evidence gathered by the campaign and the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce points to significant retention risks if settlement timelines are extended without protection.

It found that 84.3% of respondents said extending settlement timelines from five years to 10 years would, or might, affect their ability to remain on the island long term. The same survey found that 71.6% said extended timelines would, or might, affect their ability to remain in their current job.

Major reforms to the island’s immigration rules brought in this month for Worker Migrants specifically do not affect people already living and working in the Isle of Man under an existing and valid visa.

Signatures will be collected by Friday, June 12 with the aim of having the petition presented by MHK John Wannenburgh and debated at the July Tynwald.

The petition is available online at: https://linktr.ee/fairsettlementiom