Currently one in ten skilled migrants who enter on a visa designed for migrants to settle in rural areas move to a major city within 18 months. Such visas include the Skilled Regional (887) visa and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (187) visa.
Around 190,000 permanent migrants arrive in Australia annually. Approximately 5,000 of those are regional visas. A quarter of migrants arrive on employer-sponsored visas and 30 percent enter on family reunion visas. The majority of migrant visas do not have a specified geographical location. The largest source country of skilled migrants for Australia is India, followed by China and the United Kingdom.
Population growth in Australia has been well above forecasted levels over the past decade. The proposed reforms by the Government are a response to tackling population growth in congested capital cities, and stimulating economic growth in regional areas. Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on the east coast are among those experiencing congestion while the smaller cities of Adelaide, Darwin, Canberra and Hobart are classified as regional under the visa scheme.
Australians believe immigration rate is too high
Immigration is a hot political issue. Until this year Australians have been mostly positive about immigration, with around 75 percent of Australians agreeing that it was of benefit to the economy. However this year, a Lowy Institute Survey has found just over half of Australians oppose the current immigration rate.
In response to the rapidly growing population in major cities on the east coast of Australia, the newly appointed minister for Population and Urban Infrastructure has indicated a plan which involves investment in infrastructure, decentralising, and a more coordinated population process to improve distribution of migration intake. Limiting migration to major cities for around five years will allow for infrastructure to be developed to support population growth.
The Government is yet to outline how the proposed reforms will work and respond to questions around how the visa changes could potentially restrict freedom of movement. All visas have associated conditions and migration compliance is are enforced by Australian Border Force, a border law enforcement agency.