There are some changes for the Australia regional visa program. What are these changes?

For some migrants, they believe that it would be easier to get permanent residency if they lived in rural areas. In Australia, several areas are quite rural and these areas often have a cheaper cost of living than those in the city. However, the two new Australia regional visa programs will be changing the way permanent residency can be attained.

Australia Regional Visa Details

On Wednesday, Immigration Minister David Coleman confirmed that two new skilled regional visas will be out this November. He adds that these new visas will enable migrants to get permanent residency if they can prove they are residing in regional Australia.

Migrants who have either one of these visas will need to stay for three years in the region before they can get permanent residency.

Although the full details of these visas are not yet out, Minister Coleman said that a deep inspection will be done per visa holder. The government will check their personal details and their permanent residency application.

In his interview to 2GB radio, the Minister said that applicants must be able to prove they have stayed in regional Australia. If they can’t prove it through their details, they won’t get the permanent residency.

The new visas aims to send new migrants to help regional Australia. International students can also avail the visa which will help them compete with other migrants when looking for a job. Currently, the region is having problems getting workers to fill the skills gap in the area.

The new Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa will be available for skilled migrants with an employer from regional Australia. Meanwhile, the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa will be for migrants who got sponsorship from a State or Territory government or sponsored by a family member to live and work in regional Australia.

Both these visas will have a five-year duration and visa holders can apply for permanent residency after 3 years.

Earlier this year, the government started its review of skilled migration occupations list. The list aims to find out which occupations are in demand or lacking across Australia. Most of these jobs are in regional Australia.

Australia Tips for Migrants

Interested migrants who wish to find work in Australia can also check our short guide here. We also have a guide on where you can stay in Sydney and Melbourne here in the site.

For other visa information and inquiries, check out the official webpage of the Australian Department of Home Affairs.