Victoria to Benefit from New Migration Initiatives
The number of migrants settling in Victoria, particularly regional areas, is set to increase further as a result of new migration initiatives, the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Senator Amanda Vanstone said today.
Senator Vanstone said the report, Commonwealth/Victoria Working Party on Migration Final Report, August 2004, recommended attracting skilled migrants to regional Australia with new visas, such as the new Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) visa.
‘The SIR visa provides extra places for migrants who commit to living and working in regional or low population growth areas for a minimum of two years,’ Senator Vanstone said.
Senator Vanstone said the SIR visa would also help regional areas attract and retain international students.
‘Overseas students who have studied for two years in regional Australia and have completed a degree, diploma or trade qualification are encouraged to apply for the SIR visa whilst they are in Australia,’ Senator Vanstone said.
Other recommendations in the report include:
- Introducing communications and marketing strategies to inform employers, particularly in regional Victoria, about visa options and services available to employ skilled migrants,
- Strengthening the uptake of employing skilled migrants through the Regional Outreach Officers network, to assist local employers wishing to employ skilled migrants, and
- Supporting the Australian Government’s intention to increase humanitarian entrants’ settlement in regional Australia. The report supports, in principle, a pilot project to identify one or more locations in regional Victoria to settle a number of families, where employment opportunities exist and appropriate community support services can be developed.
‘These mechanisms help State and Territory Governments directly address their skill and population needs and are a further example of the Australian Government’s commitment to assisting development in regional Australia,’ Senator Vanstone said.
‘Working together, we are creating programs that support Victoria’s development objectives and skilled migration strategy. Victoria has a key role in developing and using regional and state-specific migration mechanisms,’ she said.
