Government Defends Residency Policy
The Government has defended Gibraltar's new Residency Policy following criticism from the GSD, saying the framework is designed to protect housing, public services and the GHA.
The Government also says the regulations do not distinguish between nationalities and that British citizens can still take up employment in Gibraltar without needing a work permit.
A statement from the Government follows below:
HM Government of Gibraltar completely rejects the GSD's attempt to characterise Gibraltar's new residency framework as "anti-British".
It is entirely disingenuous to suggest that the Residency Regulations discriminate against British citizens. The criteria governing new applications for residence are based on matters such as economic contribution, employment, accommodation and age, not on whether an applicant is British, Spanish or of another nationality. In fact, there is NOTHING in the regulations that refers to any nationality whatsoever.
Indeed, British citizens remain able to take up employment in Gibraltar without requiring a work permit and can begin employment while applying for residency.
The Government considers it particularly irresponsible for the GSD to manufacture an "anti-British" narrative where none exists, particularly at a time in which institutional relations between the UK and Gibraltar are at an all-time high. Indeed, the FCDO and Convent were consulted on the policy and raised no such concerns. The rules are therefore UK Government approved. Hardly a recipe for discrimination against UK British citizens! The GSD's made-up rhetoric risks creating entirely unnecessary division and uncertainty about Gibraltar's relationship with the United Kingdom.
The purpose of the new framework is to ensure that, in a post-Treaty environment in which Gibraltar is likely to become an increasingly attractive place to live, access to our limited housing stock and public services is managed sustainably.
The Government introduced these rules to protect Gibraltar's economy and, in particular, the Gibraltar Health Authority and our schools. The GHA serves a small community and has finite capacity. Unmanaged growth in the number of people entitled to access it would place real pressure on the services on which Gibraltarians and existing residents rely every day. This is a pro-Gibraltar policy, designed to safeguard the interests of current residents of Gibraltar and those who will make their lives here in future, whatever their nationality may be.
Against that background, it is not clear whose interests Nick Cruz is looking out for. A policy that protects Gibraltar's economy, its health service, its housing and its education policy is in the interests of Gibraltarians and everyone who makes their home here. Nick Cruz is evidently more interested in preparing an already misguided election campaign than the interests of Gibraltar and its people.
The Minister for Health, Care and Business, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: “This framework exists for one reason, and that is to protect Gibraltar. Our health service, our housing and our public services belong to the Gibraltar residents and they must be managed responsibly as Gibraltar becomes an even more attractive place to live. That is what this Government is doing. It is a policy made in Gibraltar, for Gibraltarians, and nothing about it is anti-British. British citizens can still work here without a permit, and there are clear routes for young people and for those with the skills our economy needs. I will always listen to our business community and the framework is under review. But I will not apologise for putting the interests of Gibraltar residents first, and I would invite Mr Cruz to explain whose interests he is putting first and why he is fronting this instead of the Hon Shadow Minister for Business, Mr Sacarello.”
