MIGRATION TO OUR REGIONS
Boost for regional services through immigration
The Australian Government is committed to having regional Australia share the benefits brought by our Migration Programme to achieve a greater dispersal of our migrant and humanitarian intake to regional areas. The Australian Government has approved an increase of 20,000 places to the Skill Stream of the Migration programme in 2005-06 (which will take the total skill stream to 97,500 places). Within the Skill Stream, at least 18,000 visas will be granted under State Specific and Regional Migration categories. The actual number achieved will be largely contingent on the extent to which state and territory governments utilise the State Specific and Regional mechanisms available to them. The Australian Government will work with the state and territory governments to identify skills shortages and to create opportunities to fill this shortage through a number of new initiatives.
The Australian Government will provide an additional $3 million over four years for settlement services to support new arrivals in regional Australia.
To address the demand for more skilled migrants by many states and regions, the Australian Government has revised the eligibility criteria so that an additional 10 points will be allocated for state/region sponsorship under the Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) visa.
Skilled Designated Areas Sponsored Visa
The Skilled Designated Area Sponsored Visa will be made more effective to retain skills in regional and designated areas. From mid 2006 the SDAS Visa will be issued as a temporary residence visa. SDAS Visa holders will be able to apply for permanent residence after they have lived and worked in a designated area for a minimum period of time.
Trade Skills Training Visa
The Australian Government will provide $11.2 million through the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Education, Science and Training over four years to enable overseas students to undertake New Apprenticeships with employers in regional Australia, with a view to them applying for State-Specific and Regional Migration visas at the completion of their training. This measure includes a component for enhanced and targeted community relations and liaison to ensure the overseas apprentices are valued for the contribution they make to the regional communities.
Seasonal harvest workers — increased working holiday maker visas
Incentives will be provided to encourage working holiday makers to undertake seasonal work in regional Australia. Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visas are normally limited to 12 months and provided once in a lifetime. Under this new initiative, WHM visa holders who undertake a minimum of three months work in regional Australia will be entitled to apply for a second WHM visa.