Migrants Are Being Encouraged To Settle In Regional Areas Under An Australian Government Initiative
Migrants are being encouraged to settle in regional areas under an Australian Government initiative to bust congestion in the major cities and support regional economies. Two new skilled visas have been rolled out, which provide skilled migrants with the opportunity to live and work regionally for three years and then gain access to permanent residency instead of having to wait the normal four years. Great news if you are looking for a new life with great career opportunities, a buoyant economy, safe environment, stunning landscapes and a relaxed lifestyle.
Immigration Minister David Coleman said the new visas would help ease population pressures on Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and give regional communities access to skilled workers. “We are promoting growth in those regional areas that need more people, by requiring migrants to live and work in a regional area for at least three years. We are encouraging them to put down roots in those communities, meaning they are more likely to stay long term.”
The two new regional visas will also be introduced including:
- A skilled employer-sponsored regional visa for people sponsored by an employer in regional Australia and
- A skilled work regional visa, for people who are nominated by a state or territory government or sponsored by an eligible family member to live and work in regional Australia.
The Federal government has allocated 25,000 places for the regional visas.
When the word regional is mentioned it tends to conjure an image in one’s mind of a remote location out the back of nowhere. Not so under this initiative. Both the Gold Coast (pictured above) and Perth Western Australia are included as regional areas. In fact everywhere in Australia outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are designated as regional for the purposes regional migration visas. We have included videos of both locations below to provide you with an understanding of what regional means under this initiative.
Regional visas will also receive priority processing and have access to a wider range of jobs than those applying to migrate to major cities. The Federal government has deployed a team of Regional Outreach Officers to support regional employers and says there was a 124 per cent increase in the number of regional visas granted in the first quarter of this year.
This is potentially a once in a lifetime opportunity for forward thinking individuals who are looking for a new life adventure for themselves and those near and dear to them.
We suggest you aggressively pursue this opportunity as once it has fulfilled its purpose it is likely to be taken off the table.
We are working with a portfolio of clients who have numerous opportunities across a range of skill sets and qualifications nationally, which includes many regional areas. Contact us for a free consultation, we are here to help.
A full list of eligible occupations can be found at the Department of Home Affairs website.
