Regional Development Australia Southern Inland (RDA Southern Inland) are pleased to announce that they have been successful in obtaining funding through the Department of Home Affair’s, Fostering Integration Program.

Minister Angus Taylor advised RDA Southern Inland of their successful application in February and today visited the Goulburn office to congratulate the team.

The grant funds one-off projects or expanded initiatives that encourage the economic and social participation of migrant communities.

RDA Southern Inland will use the funding to run events and workshops that welcome migrants to the Southern Inland region and encourage their economic participation. 

RDA Southern Inland certify RSMS Visa applications (187) and also sponsor State Sponsored Migration (489) Visa applicants. The migration program allows skilled migrants to fill employment vacancies where there are no local Australian applicants available. RDA Southern Inland is focused on not only attracting migrants but facilitating their retention over the long-term. RDA Southern Inland strongly believes that the ‘Welcome to the Region’ program is needed to give migrants the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence to assist them to set up their own business.

Jayde Butz, Skilled Migration Officer at RDA Southern Inland, explained that many migrants on 489 visas are unable to find work in their sponsored occupation, often due to discrimination issues, a lack of recognition of overseas qualifications and experience by employers and the need or preference for Australian work experience.

“We regularly see highly educated and skilled individuals doing low-skill work, as they are unable to find work in their sponsored occupation. In some cases, 489 visa-holders are unable to find work at all locally and need to relocate to another regional area, which further disrupts their lives, families and confidence,” Ms Butz said.

A number of skilled migrants come to the Southern Inland hoping to set up their own business. As stated in the Joint Standing Committee on Migration’s Inquiry into Migration and Multiculturalism in Australia, “If migrants cannot obtain mainstream employment through lack of fluency in English, the risk of starting a small business may well be worth the financial security it could provide”. The entrepreneurship workshops will, therefore, support migrants throughout this journey and assist them in navigating the complex business set-up process.

“Skilled Migration is very important for the region, so the more we can help make their transition easier, the happier each Skilled Migration Visa holder will be. It can be a very daunting process having to adapt to a different country and in most cases not know anyone to help you or confide in,” said Jayde Butz, Skilled Migration Officer at RDA Southern Inland.

The Program will commence in May 2019. For further information, please call the RDA Southern Inland office on 4822 6397.