A new Border Division has been established with effect from 27 July 2026, marking the first step towards the creation of a Border Agency, part of the Isle of Man Government’s programme to strengthen border security, improve immigration controls and protect the Island from criminal exploitation and abuse of its systems.
The move follows the Chief Minister’s announcement on 16 June of plans to establish a dedicated Border Agency, part of a wider programme designed to enhance the Island’s ability to identify, assess and respond to evolving threats.
The plan to create a Border Agency comes after concerns were identified regarding potential abuse of the Island’s immigration system, labour exploitation, illegal immigration and organised criminal activity. Work undertaken by the Customs and Immigration Division has already led to enhanced enforcement activity at the Island’s ports and the establishment of a dedicated immigration compliance team, with positive results including joint operations with the Isle of Man Constabulary and cases progressing through formal legal processes.
Existing staff and resources from the Customs and Immigration Division will now begin transferring into two separate divisions: the new Border Division and a Customs and Excise Division.
The Border Division has been created as an interim measure. Hosted within Treasury, reflecting Treasury’s existing ministerial responsibility for immigration matters, this will enable preparations to immediately get underway for the creation of the Border Agency. During this phase, the Division will enhance border enforcement activity, establish an appropriate management structure, identify resource and legislative requirements, and develop a comprehensive project plan for the creation of a permanent Border Agency.
Treasury Minister Chris Thomas MHK said:
‘This is an important step towards delivering a more modern, resilient and effective approach to border security for the Isle of Man and eventually a Border Agency.
‘The establishment of the Border Division demonstrates the Government’s commitment to protecting our communities, safeguarding the integrity of our immigration system and ensuring the Island remains a safe place to live, work and do business.
‘I am particularly pleased that we are building on the excellent work already undertaken by Customs and Immigration staff. The new Division will strengthen enforcement capabilities, improve cooperation across agencies and put us in a stronger position to respond to emerging risks, while ensuring the Isle of Man remains welcoming to those who legitimately wish to visit, work and contribute to our community.’
Funding of approximately £1.2 million has been allocated in 2026-27 to support the initial establishment of the Division, including additional frontline border officers and the resources required to manage increased operational and casework activity. The programme includes the creation of 17 additional posts, ranging from Border Enforcement Officers and Investigation Officers to specialist intelligence, telecommunications and policing roles.
The Government’s longer-term ambition is to establish a dedicated Border Agency responsible for protecting and managing the Island’s borders, enhancing enforcement capability, strengthening controls at points of entry and improving coordination between Government departments and partner agencies.
Success will be measured through a range of performance indicators, including border enforcement activity, immigration compliance outcomes, intelligence development and sharing, case progression, operational responsiveness and partnership working.
While this change programme progresses, existing methods of contacting the Divisions will remain unchanged, although customers will begin to see amendments made to the gov.im website in due course. The contact details and website links are provided below.
Border Division
webpages:
Telephone: +44 1624 685203
Customs and Excise Division
webpage: Customs and Excise
Phone: +44 1624 648100
Email: customs@gov.im
