The Premier of Victoria has announced that the Victorian
Government will be allocating an amount of $6 Million to attract migrants
to Victoria. Skilled migrants will be encouraged to move to Victoria,
particularly regional areas, under a new campaign to further increase
the State’s share of Australia’s skilled migrant intake. The
Premier, Steve Bracks, and the Employment Minister, Jacinta Allan, today
released the next stage of the Government’s Skilled Migration strategy,
which targets overseas skilled and business migrants, students and working
holidaymakers. Mr Bracks said Victoria’s Skilled Migration Strategy
was part of his Government’s drive to increase Victoria’s
population. The Premier has announced that the Government has a population
target of six million people by 2025, and attracting skilled and business
migrants to fill shortages will play an important role in meeting this
aim. In making the announcement the Premier said: “Our efforts
since 1999 have been successful, with Victoria’s share of Australia’s
skilled migrant intake growing from 18.7 per cent in 1999 to 24 per
cent in 2003. “In 2003, Victoria received 3,100 more skilled migrants
than in 1999. This strategy will see an additional $6 million spent
to build on that work.”