Moving to Guernsey: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

Population

67,052

Population Growth Rate

0.38%

Urban Population

31.200000

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Age Structure

14.460000

Median Age

42.800000

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

10

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

8.61

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.54

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.050000

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

2.5

Ethnic Groups

UK and Norman-French descent

Nationality Noun

Channel Islander(s)

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

0.000000

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Life Expectancy at Birth

82.320000

Infant Mortality Rate

3.490000

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

3.490000

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

0.000000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

0.000000

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Economic Overview

Financial services accounted for about 21% of employment and about 32% of total income in 2016 in this tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy.

Construction, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining.

Financial services, professional services, tourism, retail, and the public sector have been growing.

Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular offshore financial center.

Industries

Tourism, banking

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$52,300.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

0.9%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$3,465,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$52,300.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

0.9%

GDP - official exchange rate

$2,742,000,000 (USD)

GDP by Sector- agriculture

3%

GDP by Sector- Industry

10%

GDP by Sector- services

87%

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Inflation Rate

3.4%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency Name and Code

Pound Sterling (GBP)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

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Labor Force

31,470

Unemployment Rate

0.9%

Major Industries

Tourism, banking

Agriculture Products

Tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Annual Budget

$563,600,000 (USD)

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

1.2%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

20.6%

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Full Country Name

Bailiwick of Guernsey

Country Name

Guernsey

Former Name

Norman Isles

Etymology- history of name

The name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Guern(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island"

Independence

None (British Crown dependency)

National Holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

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Government Type

Parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation)

Constitution

• History: Unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice
• Amendments: New laws or changes to existing regulations are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires a majority vote; many laws have been passed; in 2019, 60 laws were passed

Legal System:

Customary legal system based on Norman customary law; includes elements of the French civil code and English common law

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant-Governor Richard CRIPWELL (since 15 February 2022)
• head of government: Chief Minister Lindsay de SAUSMAREZ (since 1 July 2025)
• cabinet: none election/appointment
• process: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister, who is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee, indirectly elected by the States of Deliberation for a 4-year term most recent election
• date: 7/1/2025
• election results: 2025: Lindsay de SAUSMAREZ (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister 2020: Peter FERBRACHE (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief
• minister: percent of States of Guernsey vote - 57.5% 2016: Gavin ST. PIER (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister expected date of next
• election: 2029
• note: the chief minister is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee and is the de facto head of government; the Policy and Resources Committee, elected by the States of Deliberation, functions as the executive; the 5 members all have equal voting rights

Legislative Branch:

• Description: Unicameral States of Deliberation (40 seats; 38 People's Deputies and 2 representatives of the States of Alderney; members directly elected by majority vote to serve 4-year terms);
• Note: non-voting members include the bailiff (presiding officer), attorney-general, and solicitor-general
• Elections: Last held on 7 October 2020 (next to be held in June 2025)
• Election Results: Percent of vote - independents 62.6%, GPI 24.0%, GP 10.0%, APG 3.4%; seats - independents 22, GPI 10, GP 6;
• Composition: men 32, women 8, percent of women 20%

Judicial Branch:

• office: Royal Court Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff, and Court of Appeal justices appointed by the British Crown and hold office at Her Majesty's pleasure; jurats elected by the States of Election, a body chaired by the Bailiff and a number of jurats
• Subordinate courts: Court of Alderney; Court of the Seneschal of Sark; Magistrates' Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas

Regions or States:

None (British Crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes: Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale Note: Two additional parishes for Guernsey are sometimes listed - Saint Anne on the island of Alderney and Saint Peter on the island of Sark - but they are generally not included in the enumeration of parishes

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Alliance Party Guernsey or APG [Barry WEIR]
• Guernsey Partnership of Independents or GPI [Gavin ST PIER]
• Guernsey Party or GP [Mark HEYLAR]

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

See United Kingdom

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Capital Name

Saint Peter Port

Capital - geographic coordinate

49 27 N, 2 32 W

Capital Time Difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight Savings Time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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International Organization Participation:

UPU

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Embassy: None (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• None (British crown dependency)

Dependency Status

British crown dependency

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Geographic Location

Europe

Geographic Coordinates

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Total Area

30 Square Miles 78 Square Kilometers

Land Area

30 Square Miles 78 Square Kilometers

Coastline

31 Miles 50 Kilometers

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Terrain

Mostly level with low hills in southwest

Highest Point

114 Meters

Highest Point Location

Unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Lowest Point Location

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources

Cropland

Time Zone

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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Climate

Temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast

Terrain

Mostly level with low hills in southwest

Location

Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Total Area

30 Square Miles 78 Square Kilometers

Environment - Current Issues

NA

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Exports

$0 (USD)

Imports

$0 (USD)

Major Exports

Tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables

Major Imports

Coal, gasoline, oil, machinery, and equipment

Top Export Partners

UK (regarded as internal trade)

Top Import Partners

UK (regarded as internal trade)

Export Partners

UK (regarded as internal trade)

Import Partners

UK (regarded as internal trade)

Airports - total

2

Airports with Paved Runways

2

Ports and Terminals

Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

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Telephones

45,100

Cell Phones

43,800

Internet Users

36,000

Internet Country Code

.gg

Internet Hosts

197

Broadcast Media

• Multiple UK terrestrial TV broadcasts are received via a transmitter in Jersey with relays in Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney
• satellite packages are available
• BBC Radio Guernsey and 1 other radio station operating

Telephone System

• Domestic: Fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons
• International: Country code - 44; 1 submarine cable

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Anthem History

Sarnia Cherie is used as the anthem of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands.

'Sarnia' is a traditional Latin name for the island, hence, the title translates as "Guernsey Dear".

George Deighton wrote "Guernsey Dear" in 1911, with Domencio Santangelo subsequently composing the tune later that year.

Anthem Lyrics

Sarnia Cherie Sarnia, chière patrie, bijou d'la maïr, Ile plloinne dé biautai, dans d'iaoue si cllaire Ta vouaix m'appeule terjous, mon tcheur plloin d'envie, Et mon âme té crie en poine, mes iars voudraient t'veis.

Quaend j'saonge, j'té vaie derchier, mesme comme t'étais d'vànt, Tes côtis si vaerts et ton sabllaon si bllànc, Tes bànques et tes rotchets.

Ah!

Dé toutes la pus belle.

Mon réfuge et mon r'pos, chière île qu'est si belle.

Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie, D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours, Et j'pense à té chaque jour.

Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.

Sàns saver ta valeur, j'm'en fus en colère, Je v'yagis si llian, à l'aute but dé la terre.

I m'dirent dé biaux pays, et j'm'en fus brâment Oueque la terre baillait à haut d'l'or et dé l'argent.

Nous 'tait tous amis et i fit bal chaque jeur, Mais ta vouaix m'applait terjours, a m'déteurtait l'tcheur.

Ch'est pourtchi qué j'm'en vians.

Ah! té veis, la millaeure.

Ma chière île dé répos, dé chenna j'sis saeure.

Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie, D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours, Et j'pense à té chaque jour.

Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.

Anthem Lyrics English

Sarnia; dear Homeland, Gem of the sea.

Island of beauty, my heart longs for thee.

Thy voice calls me ever, in waking, or sleep, Till my soul cries with anguish, my eyes ache to weep.

In fancy I see thee, again as of yore, Thy verdure clad hills and thy wave beaten shore.

Thy rock sheltered bays, ah; of all thou art best, I'm returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.

CHORUS Sarnia Cherie.

Gem of the sea.

Home of my childhood, my heart longs for thee.

Thy voice calls me ever, forget thee I'll never, Island of beauty.

Sarnia Cherie.

I left thee in anger, I knew not thy worth.

Journeyed afar, to the ends of the earth.

Was told of far countries, the heav'n of the bold, Where the soil gave up diamonds, silver and gold.

The sun always shone, and "race" took no part, But thy cry always reached me, its pain wrenched my heart.

So I'm coming home, thou of all art the best.

Returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.

CHORUS