Guernsey has a friendly and welcoming community of 65,000 people
The island of Guernsey is comprised of 10 parishes, each with its own unique character and charm.
There are 16 Primary Schools in Guernsey for children aged 5-11 years old.
Guernsey has two property markets, the Open and Local Market which applies to both rental and sale properties.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any particular queries or concerns, we’re happy to help and are confident you’ll soon be enjoying the benefits of island life.
Locate Guernsey is on hand to provide support throughout the relocation journey.
We have put together this list of key considerations for those planning a move to the island.
Moving your belongings to the island is an key consideration. It's important to work with a reputable shipping company that understands Guernsey and the logistics of shipping goods to the island. Locate Guernsey can provide a list of suitable shippers.
You will need to declare the items you are importing to Guernsey's Customs & Excise office.
We know that some members of the family have four legs, here's what you need to know about bringing your pets to the island.
Guernsey is an unparalleled location to raise children. With a safe and friendly community that will put parents at ease, and a natural playground for children to explore - there's nothing better.
Although it is not part of the NHS, Guernsey employs the UK’s best practice across its network of medical centres and the Princess Elizabeth Hospital (PEH).
Find out more about the healthcare system in Guernsey:
If you are relocating to Guernsey permanently, you must exchange your driving licence within one year. A full driving licence issued by many countries can be exchanged for a Guernsey driving licence by the States of Guernsey Driver & Vehicle Licensing Department.
Check out our practicalities of relocating page for information about driving licences in Guernsey and some other things to think about when arriving on island:
Locate Guernsey is a government agency that provides free information and advice for businesses and individuals looking to move to the island.
Locate Guernsey was established in 2015 and is staffed by a small team who have significant private and public sector experience, now dedicated to serving you on behalf of this agency which forms part of the Economic Development team within our island's government.
Guernsey's education system is very similar to the UK. Children up to the age of 18 have access to free education via the State Education system and there are private education options.
Subject to Immigration clearance, the householder of an Open Market Part A home can accommodate both their immediate and extended family.
A Local Market householder can accommodate their immediate family only.
If you are moving to Guernsey having qualified for immigration clearance, depending on your visa, you may be able to apply for your spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18, to live in Guernsey with you under your immigration clearance. You should however always check with the Guernsey Immigration Office to make sure this is the case. Should you wish for any other members of your family to move to the island to live with you, unless they are British Citizens or Irish passport holders, they will require immigration clearance in their own right to live in Guernsey.
"I moved to Guernsey in 2021 to join family who were already here and have become part of a much bigger community since I arrived. The career opportunities are varied and interesting and the ability to get involved in just about any activity you can think of, unsurpassed!
Seeing the sea every day brings me joy and my dogs love running in the sand. My young nieces are growing up in a warm, friendly, and safe community with stunning scenery.
The team at Locate Guernsey are friendly, approachable, and full of useful advice for making the move, they helped me get started finding a home, making business contacts and understanding the practical aspects of the move."
“The process of relocating to Guernsey was incredibly easy. Locate Guernsey offered all the help we needed which made our move very straight forward. The many questions via email which we raised were answered immediately and in a pleasant and friendly manner, making communication with Local Guernsey comfortable and relaxed. Most importantly though, it wasn’t just the help that we received up to and during our relocation, but their assistance with any matter we raised after our relocation, even outside of the remit of relocating, was and is provided by them.”
“From our previous visit we were aware of some of Guernsey's quirks; the extremely narrow roads, the unreliability of inter-island transport at certain times of the year, the higher cost of living etc. What we weren't expecting were the many hidden delights one finds on such a small island. Substantial retail shops tucked away in obscure country lanes, interesting and unusual local businesses, restaurants in unexpected and out-of-the-way places. We keep discovering such things.”
“We both feel life here has far exceeded our expectations. Locate Guernsey have made it very easy for us to integrate by holding various social events for newcomers, and at which we have made very dear and lifelong friends. We have been made very welcome by our neighbours, and in general find Guernsey to be filled with folk who are helpful, friendly and of generous spirit. We can honestly say that we have not experienced a second of doubt that we made absolutely the right decision to move to relocate here.”
“Locate Guernsey were most helpful at every stage of our move. Some of the immigration formalities were rather confusing and they were able to clarify them for us. They also introduced us to a number of helpful people on the island and even invited us to a newcomer’s party to help us get started here.”
