A total of 3,238 work permits were issued between February 27, 2018, and February 26 this year.

The total for the equivalent time period in 2017-18 was 2,986.

Of the 2018-19 number, 1,559 were for one year and 749 were five-year permits.

The figures were revealed by Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly in a written answer to a question from Julie Edge (Onchan). In 2018-19, 482 work permits were in the construction industry and 312 in medical and health services.