Face of Nation : Migrants are being encouraged to settle in rural areas under new targeted visa schemes, but there is uncertainty over whether the plan could help or hinder regional migration.
Business and community stakeholders have brought attention to the potential challenges posed to migrants and examined the visas’ provisional nature, in submissions to a Senate inquiry on the matter. The regional visa pathways to be introduced in November are aimed at getting skilled workers to fill skill shortages and boost rural economies in the regions.
It says stagnating populations are posing a ‘threat’ to many rural economies, in its submission to the inquiry. “The concern has been about how can we attract people, how do we get the story out there that there are opportunities,” Rural Councils of Victoria Chair Mary-Ann Brown told.
“The conversation with prospective migrants is to really try to determine their interest in living in a rural or regional area.” The provisional regional visas would require skilled migrants to live and work in rural areas for three years before becoming eligible for permanent residency.
The Morrison government’s plan includes 23,000 places under two visa streams sponsored through employer, government and family pathways. “We want skilled migrants to settle in regional areas long-term and want to ensure they are not disadvantaged compared to permanent migrants in our major cities,” he said.
“This Government will continue to back those migrants who commit to living and working in regional areas, to support local economies and contribute to regional communities.” “The key concern will be in a country as large as Australia, the ability for new migrants to find those jobs will be challenging,” its submission reads. “The visa may not tether migrants to the regions and will potentially disadvantage regional migration further.”
However, despite their provisional nature, the new pathway would regard applicants as Australian residents in line with the same rights as permanent visa holders. The Rural Councils of Victoria has also cautioned changes to the visa intake should be made in tandem with all levels of government to ensure access to “essential support services” for migrants.
“Sufficient funding from both state and federal levels of government needs to be provided for housing support, education and training services and community assistance programs,” its submission reads.
Ms Brown, who is Mayor of the Southern Grampians Shire, said there are currently “no settlement services” on hand in many regional areas to support new migrants. “What you find in rural communities is that people step up to the plate, they don’t always expect that services are going to be provided from other levels of government,” she said.
Ms Brown cited a “language cafe” where migrants can practice their English, one on one language tutors and a buddy system to help families integrate as evidence of this in her community. “If these programs are managed well communities embrace that opportunity to be exposed to different cultures.”
