SA s plan to boost economy and employment

SA’s plan to boost economy and employmentThe Property Council of Australia is driving a nine-point plan to boost South Australia’s population, to stimulate economic and job growth in the state.Property Council SA executive director Daniel Gannon said the Council will engage with industry to identify future gaps in required skills and focus state immigration programs on those needs.”It’s our belief the focus needs to turn to the creation of an economic immigration scheme that targets skilled people offshore who would be readily employed in SA,” Gannon said.A key pillar of the plan is the introduction of a regional 457 visa program for SA, including Adelaide. Gannon also noted the need to introduce a SA regional significant investor visa to boost the state’s population and drive economic growth.”Not only that, but it’s our belief that we need to reintroduce wider visa options for graduating international students to ensure they stay, work and invest in SA. The reality is expanding opportunities for post-study employment will attract more international students.”Gannon said state investment discussion shouldn’t be framed purely in terms of profits, but also around people.”One of our best assets and exports is our people and our thinking, so we need to reframe the public conversation,” he said.”One of my key goals is to help simplify SA’s complex and cumbersome administrative immigration processes – if we can do this, we’ll go a long way to attracting more skilled immigrants to our state.”The nine-point planEngage with industry to identify future gaps in required skills and focus state immigration programs on those needs.Create an economic immigration scheme that targets skilled people offshore who would be readily employed in SA.Consider relaxing the International English Language Testing System requirements for the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.Cut red tape at Immigration SA to speed up processing times.Introduce a regional 457 visa program for SA, including Adelaide.Enable visa holders to be eligible for a second working holiday visa if they work in any regional area for an additional six months.Run a series of public/private employment and lifestyle expos targeting European countries with high rates of skilled unemployment.Introduce a SA regional significant investor visa.Reintroduce wider visa options for graduating international students so they stay, work and invest in SA. Expanding opportunities for post-study employment will attract more international students.