The purpose of this brochure is to provide you with a snap shot of what you can expect if you come to work in the banking sector in the Isle of Man by answering a number of Frequently Asked Questions.

Life in the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man where is it, how big is it?

In the Irish Sea between the British mainland and Ireland, 70 miles north west of Liverpool and 40 miles east of Dublin. Approximately 32 miles long by 13 wide it has an overall area of 221 square miles or 572 square kilometres.

Is it part of the United Kingdom?

No, but it is a Crown Dependency which means it is responsible for its internal government through its parliament Tynwald. The UK is responsible for the Island’s external relations. It is part of the British Isles but not a member of the EU.

What is Tynwald and what forms of local government are there?

Tynwald is the oldest continuous parliament in the world. In its present form it comprises the House of Keys, an elected chamber of 24 members and the Legislative Council which comprises of eight members elected by the House of Keys and two ex officio members, who are the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man and the Island’s Attorney General. The Legislative Council is a revising chamber and its decisions in the legislative process can be overridden by the House of Keys. The Isle of Man Government comprises nine departments each headed by a Minister appointed by the Chief Minister who is appointed by the Governor on the nomination of Tynwald. The Chief Minister together with the other Ministers comprise the Council of Ministers which is the Island's executive.

There is a local authority for each of the local government districts on the Island. The local authorities are responsible for the good government of their respective districts in such matters as refuse collection, street lighting, local bye laws and suchlike.