News
Victoria attracts more migrants
Regional Victoria is attracting more migrants than ever before thanks to the Victorian Government’s commitment to growing the State’s regional population, writes Campbel Giles
The Victorian Government is helping regional communities attract and retain skilled and business migrants through the AUS$3 million (£1.2 million) Regional Migration Incentive Fund, which funds 11 regional communities to develop local strategies. Through this funding, the communities have developed services including welcome kits and information packs; job mentoring; multicultural support services; and job matching services for newly arrived migrants and local employers.
The Victorian Government also sponsors migrants to come to Victoria under specific visas, such as the Skilled-Independent Regional visa, which requires migrants to live in a regional area for at least two years. And the Victorian Government actively promotes regional Victoria to potential migrants through international and domestic expos and our leading web site, which attracts around 60,000 visitors every month.
The web site allows potential migrants to apply online for State-sponsored visas. A further AUS$6 million (£2.5 million) has recently been provided to increase the international awareness of regional Victoria though marketing, visa support and support services for newly arrived migrants.
The Department of Primary Industries 'Our Rural Landscape Social Research Unit' found that regional Victoria is rapidly diversifying its economic and social base. Regions close to Melbourne are changing from reliance on primary industry to industries that service amenity lifestyle, such as Gourmet foods in Kyneton/Daylesford. Tourism and recreation also feature strongly.
Recent skill shortage surveys conducted across regional Victoria highlighted skill shortages across the following industries:
Construction
Health and community services
Property
Retail trade
Hospitality
Finance and insurance
Communication
Transport and logistics
Mining
Electricity, Water and Gas Supply.
More than 13,733 skilled migrants chose to live in Victoria in 2004–05, compared with just 7,066 moving to the state in 1998–9, when there was little interest. Migrating to regional Victoria is even easier as the Regional Migration Incentive Fund has boosted skilled migration across regional Victoria with some of the larger centres such as Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat demonstrating early success since it was introduced in 2004.
For further information:
Victoria Government Regional Development
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19 April 2007