Regional migration provides significant economic and social benefits to Australia. State and Territory Governments and regional employers use regional migration programs to source skilled workers in line with their business needs and economic development objectives. Australia’s regions provide a popular lifestyle destination for skilled workers from overseas. Attracting skilled workers to an area boosts local economies and populations, diversifies workforces and may even attract overseas investment.
With approximately 65,000 skilled and business migrants granted visas to come to Australia each year, there is considerable scope to attract many more people to regional areas.
The Australian Government has developed a new visa in consultation with State and Territory Governments and regional authorities to further support regional Australia: the Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) visa. From 1 July 2004, the SIR visa will provide a pathway to permanent residence in particular for those committed to living and working in a regional or low population growth area.
After two years of temporary residence, they may apply for permanent residence under a range of options.
The key pathway to permanent residence is through the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) – where a regional employer permanently sponsors a skilled worker to Australia. Overseas students who have lived and studied in a regional area can also apply to stay permanently in Australia under these arrangements.
People applying for the SIR visa will be skilled workers who:
- are under 45 years of age
- have at least vocational English and
- have recent work experience in a skilled occupation (or have recently completed an Australian qualification).
The SIR visa is an exciting development, specifically designed to make it easy for skilled workers to choose regional Australia. Together with their families, they will make an important economic and social contribution to their new communities. Local Government authorities should consider the SIR visa’s potential to complement development objectives. There may be:
- critical skill shortages skilled workers can fill, that cannot be met by the local labour market and
- potential to promote a region as a destination for SIR visa holders.
Contact a Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Business Centre for further details or visit www.immi.gov.au/business/bctitle.htm We will keep Local Government up to date with SIR visa developments via Local Government FOCUS throughout 2004.
