MIGRATION PROGRAM BRINGING MORE WORKERS TO REGIONAL AUSTRALIA

The Morrison Government’s Migration Program continues to help regional Australian businesses access the skills and workers they need.

160,323 visas were granted in 2018-19 under the Permanent Migration Program – the lowest number in a decade – and there was a significant increase in the number of those places going to regional Australia.

The program delivered 8,987 places under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme in 2018-19, up from 6,221 places in 2017-18 – a 44 per cent increase.

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said the Government will continue to help more new migrants settle in regional Australia.

“This year we’ve dedicated 23,000 places for regional skilled migrants and announced two new regional visas to help fill some of the tens of thousands of job vacancies in regional Australia,” Mr Coleman said.

“We’re directing migration away from our major capital cities and into those smaller cities and regional areas that are crying out for more people.”

Luke Howarth MP said the Government’s measures to support regional Australia would help businesses and communities in Petrie grow.

“We know there’s around 60,000 vacancies in regional Australia that can’t be filled by Australian workers, and being able to source migrant workers is critical for Petrie,” Mr Howarth said.

“We see so many migrant success stories in our community and this Government will continue to back those migrants who work hard, pay taxes and contribute so much to our region.”

109,713 visa granted were granted under the skill stream of the 2018-19 program – around 70 per cent of the program.

47,247 family visas were also delivered in the 2018-19 Migration Program.