JERSEY will be much less attractive than the UK to a possible flood of immigrants from Eastern Europe when the EU is expanded in May.

Finance and Economics Committee vice-president Senator Philip Ozouf says the Island’s existing employment and housing laws will mean it will be much more difficult for citizens from the new EU countries to come and settle in Jersey.The Senator said that as all businesses were licensed under the Regulation of Undertakings Law, there would be only limited employment opportunities for anyone who moved to the Island.And he criticised calls made by ‘the five angry men’ earlier this week to remove the job growth restriction laws at a time ‘when their existence is clearly justified’.

‘Roger Trower, on behalf of the group of businessmen, called for the immediate repeal of the Regulation of Undertakings Law.

Does he not realise we face an expanded EU in two months’ time? These laws will protect the jobs of Islanders who have lived here for five years and ensure that those Islanders cannot be sacked and replaced by people prepared to work for peanuts,’ said the Senator.