Immigration advisors are to be regulated as part of a tightening of rules relating to inward migration.

The measure was announced during last month’s Isle of Man Government Conference.

In a presentation on the second day of the conference, held at the Comis Hotel in Santon, Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford outlined several key policies that the Council of Ministers were planning on changing.

He said: ‘One that has come up from several sources over the years is around regulation of immigration advisors - who can offer the advice to people in this regard.

‘We will be putting regulation in place to ensure that is a properly regulated area. Plus at the same time we will be looking at simplifying some of the processes business have to go through.’

Other key changes on inward migration rules include increasing minimum salary requirements, introducing an immigration healthcare surcharge, aligning the student visa route to that in the UK, and tightening the criteria on dependants.

Media IoM recently highlighted how one company, Business Migrant Service Centre Ltd, is based in a top-floor flat on Christian Road in Douglas.

It says on its gotoiom.com website that it provides ‘expert guidance for business, education and life planning’ and claims to have handled 5,000-plus cases and had ‘6,000-plus happy customers’ during its ‘10-plus years in the UK’.

The Companies Registry shows it was incorporated in the Isle of Man in February last year and its directors are listed as Antiguan/Barbudan nationals Jianye Chen and Qiuyan Lin.

Business Migrant Service Centre Ltd had advertised for a full-time customer services consultant for a salary of £23,000 a year, which equates to the island’s minimum wage for a 36-hour week.

Asked about regulation of immigration advisors, Mr Ashford told Media IoM that the aim was to ‘ensure there’s a proper regulatory framework so companies would have to be registered and they are appropriately qualified which is a key thing’.

Another company offering visas to both the UK and the Isle of Man recently promoted a limited time special offer of 40% off fees, ‘saving you £6,000. Now only £12,000 plus legal fees (one-time fee)’.

The company, which is Warrington-based but has an island-based subsidiary offering investment services, said the offer ‘made it easier then ever to take the next step towards indefinite leave to remain, British citizenship and passport, access to world-class education and healthcare and a secure future for your family’.

Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson said: ‘In terms of the advisors we can only regulate those that are in the Isle of Man.’

During a panel question and answer session at the Government Conference, a recruitment agency boss said: ‘I have seen a huge increase in people that have either come through work permit or worker migrant visas especially in the last 18 months.

‘Some of them are coming in with the right skills but their partner isn’t and I’m having to try and find places for some of these workers who are coming in with their husbands, wives, partners.’