Skilled and business migrants are increasingly looking to settle in South Australia, with 1,495 nominations this financial year, helping to boost South Australia’s economic growth.
Minister for Investment and Trade, Martin Hamilton-Smith said this is a significant increase on the number of nominations last financial year.
“In 2013-14, 2226 skilled migrants and 130 new business migrants were nominated by the State Government to relocate to South Australia, an increase from 1766 and 37 respectively in 2012-13,” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.
“We are on track to have record numbers of skilled and business migrants choosing South Australia in 2014-15, a key element for delivering the Government’s plan for promoting South Australia’s international connections and engagement.
“Attracting business and skilled migrants to South Australia is critical, as it helps create further investment, job opportunities and greater industry capability.
“We are actively encouraging these migrants, and their families, to consider settling in South Australia’s regional communities.
“Attracting the best and brightest from around the world is critical to filling skills shortages and boosting economic activity and industry productivity.
“Migrants have the potential to bring a new set of skills, connections and international experiences that can help grow and modernise our economy,” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.
A world-leading expert in migration policy was in Adelaide last week and shared new insight into the future of migration.
Mr Hamilton-Smith said Dr Demetrios Papademetriou, who is on a six-month sabbatical from the Migration Policy Institute in the United States, is using his Australian trip to meet with policy makers and leaders in migration.
Dr Papademetriou is visiting Adelaide and Canberra at the invitation of the internationally recognised Professor Graeme Hugo, Director of the Australian Population and Migration Research Centre at the University of Adelaide.
“Dr Papademetriou is a distinguished Senior Fellow, President Emeritus and co-founder of the highly acclaimed Migration Policy Institute – a Washington-based think tank dedicated to the study of international migration,” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.
“He is an internationally renowned expert in migration and integration policy who provides high-level advice to senior government departments and officials across the world.
“It is extremely valuable to have someone with his expertise visiting our State, especially at a time when we continue to attract a high number of skilled and business migrants wanting to live and work in South Australia.
“I met with Dr Papademetriou to discuss immigration as a tool to support economic growth and prosperity and strengthen our regional competiveness.”
Registered nurse Supraja Elaiyavalli arrived in Australia from the United States in 2012.
The 28-year-old lives in Ceduna and said living in regional South Australia had been the best way to immerse herself into Australia’s culture.
“I love it here. When I first applied for a job I thought Ceduna was a suburb of Adelaide, but I soon learned that the people are really friendly, there’s the ocean two blocks away and I’ve been able to experience things I never would have, living in Adelaide.
“You learn about Australia and Aboriginal culture, and because you can’t stick to your own ethnic group as you would in the city you make friends with the locals very quickly,” she said.
For more information on skilled or business migration visas, visit Immigration SA at www.migration.sa.gov.au