'Not viable' to pause visa applications, says treasury minister 

4,362 entry clearance visas were issued since September 2021 

The treasury minister says it's 'not viable' to pause visa applications to enable a full review.

It's a question that was put to Chris Thomas by Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse. 

In a written answer, Mr Thomas says a number of essential and specialist skills remain in short supply and employers continue to face recruitment challenges in certain sectors.

Suspending visa applications for a limited period, the minister says, would restrict the ability of businesses and public services to recruit from outside the Common Travel Area and could have significant impact on their operations.

Sectors that could be affected include healthcare, finance and hospitality. 

He also confirmed no formal audit has been done on the overall economic value or total cost of migration to and from the Island as such an assessment would be complex and require significant data to produce reliable results. 

"The current expenditure budget for Passports, Immigration and Nationality for 2026-27 is £2.1 million. Projected income for these services in 2026-27 is £1.9 million."

In a separate written answer, the minister revealed 4,362 entry clearance visas have been issued since September 2021. 

As of 15 July, the immigration team had a live caseload of 367 visa applications and 107 confirmation of employment applications.