The RAI has completed an investigation into regional migration and found there were a number of benefits to attracting overseas workers to towns, including stopping population decay and solving workforce shortages.

The research organisation looked at Orange as one of its case studies and found that Orange City Council’s Migrant Support Services and Settlement Grants program has been successful in attracting new residents since it was started in 2004.

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Almost 10 per cent of Orange’s residents were born overseas, according to the 2016 Census.

Orange mayor Reg Kidd said the council had endeavoured to reduce the stress and hassle of settling in a new country.

“With financial support from other tiers of government our council staff have helped new Australian families with English lessons at TAFE, with understanding technology and navigating bureaucracy,” Cr Kidd said.

“Staff have organised teams of local volunteers to offer all kinds of personal support.”

Mr Kidd said migrants had played an important role in Orange’s development, but said it wasn’t new for the city to embrace new residents from overseas.

“It’s important to remember that recent waves of immigration are the latest in a long line of families who’ve come from across the sea to make Orange a better community. When I grew up in Orange the latest arrivals were from Holland, Russia and Italy. Now it’s India and the Philippines.

“The arrival of families with skills from overseas is making a significant contribution to the Orange work force and is helping us grow our economy.”

Regional Development Australia Central West runs a Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme, a visa program that allows employers in regional, remote or low population areas to sponsor workers from overseas to fill skills vacancies.

RDA Central West executive director Julia Andrews said there were a number of industries in the Central West with shortages including health, agriculture and construction.

“Skilled migration is certainly one part of the solution to the regional skills shortage, along with training and re-training opportunities for the unemployed, and stronger ties between industry and education,” she said.

“Our colleagues at The NSW Business Chamber found, in their 2017 Workforce Skills Survey, that more than 50 per cent of employers were experiencing skills shortages.

“The most significant occupational categories we have been filling in the past few years include hospitality, retail and service managers, health (including doctors, anaesthetists and nurses), food trade workers, and business, human resources and marketing.

“We have assessed some skilled migrants for Farming and Farm Management positions, but I believe there is scope for more in agriculture.”

RAI CEO Jack Archer said the state and federal governments could make policy changes that would help to drawn in migrants. 

He said between 2000-3000 migrants spread across regional Australia would stop population decline in most rural areas.

“Most importantly, we know that many communities in rural Australia are ready to pursue this option – if we can make it easy for them to do so,” Mr Archer said.