Ferry passengers could be required to carry ID in future as part of measures to strengthen the Isle of Man’s border and immigration controls.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan told this week’s Government Conference at the Comis Hotel that the move was being considered as part of steps to ensure the island remains ‘as free as possible from serious and organised crime’.

Earlier this year Steam Packet removed cash payments for tickets amid concerns criminals were making bookings using cash and a false name.

In a presentation entitled ‘Securing our Island’, Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson said we remain one of the safest places in the British Isles but are not immune to threats and changes affecting others.

‘Ensuring we maintain our safety and security in the face of evolving threats is a strategic priority,’ she said.

‘There are discussions taking place about the potential to introduce a requirement to carry identification when travelling through our sea ports.

‘Discussions on this will take into account our security and other obligations within the Common Travel Area rules.’

At last year’s Government Conference it was revealed that the island’s immigration system had been subject to widespread abuse.

A review of historical visa applications was subsequently launched.

Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford said that the number of visas curtailed has risen from 52 in 2021-22 to 103 the following year, then 236 in 2023-24 and 321 in 2024-25.

Mr Ashford said the rise was driven by the historical visa review. Around 90% involved worker migrant visas and dependants, 75-80% involved entry clearance and 20-25% further leave to remain.

The Minister stressed the importance of appropriate inward migration in filling skills gaps.

He said: ‘While we recognise the need to attract workers it has to be done in a safe and sustainable manner.’

Several key policy areas are to be changed - visa routes will be tightened over the next three years, the minimum salary requirements for immigration increased, salaries for worker migrants reviewed, the criteria on dependants tightened and an immigration healthcare surcharge imposed.

Regulation of immigration advisors is also planned.

In his welcoming address, the Chief Minister gave a ‘clear and unequivocal’ commitment that those on visas that break our laws will have their visas terminated.

He added: ‘We also ultimately intend to move towards a mandatory registration requirement for all new workers and residents, on or shortly after arrival so we can increasingly have the confidence on who is here, and that they are legitimately here.’

Mrs Poole-Wilson said implementation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition at ports has begun and has resulted in the largest-ever class A drugs seizure.

She said a consultation will take place this year on legislation needed to deploy automatic facial recognition technology.

Asked if there was still widespread abuse of the immigration system, Sandra Simpson, head of Customs and Immigration, told Isle of Man Today: ‘There are still issues we need to address. We are strengthening compliance.’

She said the review had helped identify what the issues are.

‘We found there are very similar pattens to the UK but on smaller scale in terms of immigrants being charged for visas and that being taken out of their wages. That puts those on fairly low salaries into a vulnerable position. That’s one of the main things we found,’ she said.

She said visas could be curtailed for a number of different reasons and ‘not just through compliance activity’.

The review of historical visa applications looked at patterns, she said, including where a high number of people were being employed and in which industries and where they were living.

Asked about mandatory registration for new arrivals, Mrs Poole-Wilson said it would ‘take a bit of time’ to bring in and the short-term focus was on compliance efforts.

She said it would provide a ‘single front door into the Isle of Man’, giving government and services information about who is moving here. It would also help with compliance, she said.