Information - The Island of Jersey

The Island of Jersey is the largest and most cosmopolitan of the Channel Islands, which are British, although they lie just off the coast of north-west France. The French influence is still very apparent, with many of the place names and family names suggesting Gallic origins.

Perhaps because the language spoken is English and the currency is sterling, the Channel Islands are widely thought of as being part of the UK, but they are not. Nor are they members of the EU they are Crown Dependencies and part of the British Isles, but have their own laws and taxes.

However, this level of "Britishness", along with the geographical location, makes the Channel Islands very attractive to many businesses, particularly in the finance industry. Jersey is less than an hour's flight from many UK airports, only two hours by fast ferry from the south coast of England and has excellent air links with mainland Europe.

What is broadly referred to as "the finance industry" plays a major part in the island's economy, although tourism and agriculture (particularly Jersey Royal potatoes) are significant too. In addition to banking, accountancy and other obviously finance-based areas, the field of law is prominent here, with Jersey practices having strong links with other jurisdictions too.

Jersey's weather is similar to that in southern England, but slightly warmer, with generally warm summers and mild winters - snow is a rarity. The climate enables swimmers, sunbathers, surfers and windsurfers to take advantage of the abundance of beautiful beaches and nowhere is more than a 10-minute drive from the sea.

All of this means that, while Jersey people work just as hard as their city-based counterparts and take their careers just as seriously, they can be home and relaxing or out enjoying themselves in a matter of minutes.

Working in Jersey is subject to restrictions to prevent the island becoming overcrowded, and development is strictly controlled.

The population has grown to more than 90,000 and keeping it at an acceptable level while filling key posts is a constant bone of contention. Licences are issued at the discretion of the local government, the States of Jersey.

With income tax at a flat rate of 20%, and no general capital gains tax, inheritance tax or estate duty, or capital transfer tax, the advantages over the UK and many other countries are clear. There is a general sales tax (GST) at 3%.