ACT State Migration Plan Live!! Media Release from the ACT

[Alan Collett]

COMMENCEMENT OF ACT STATE MIGRATION PLAN

 

Federal Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, and Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, today announced the commencement of the ACT State Migration Plan.

 

“State Migration Plans are part of the Gillard Government’s continued commitment to supporting the Australian economy by attracting skilled migrants who can positively contribute to our workforce,” Mr Bowen said.

 

“The implementation of State Migration Plans will provide flexibility for state and territory governments to nominate skilled migrants in a broader range of occupations than are currently offered on the Skilled Occupation List.”

 

“The ACT has amongst the strongest economy of any jurisdiction in Australia with extremely low unemployment,” Mr Stanhope said.

 

“This has led to skills shortages in some areas and the State Migration Plan will complement ACT Government initiatives to help alleviate these shortages.”

 

State Migration Plans are agreements between individual states and territories with the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. The agreements specify an overall number of applicants that each state and territory can nominate and what occupations they can nominate skilled migrants to work in.

 

While state and territory governments have always had the capacity to nominate applicants for the purposes of the General Skilled Migration Program, the introduction of these plans is intended to improve the targeting of this part of the program.