Exploring migration attraction opportunities and challenges for Gippsland

Federation researchers have partnered with Gippsland Regional Partnership on a program that aims to attract more migrant workers to help address the region's chronic workforce skills gaps.

The Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC) has delivered co-designed community engagement sessions to explore regional migration opportunities and challenges for Gippsland.

Gippsland Regional Partnership, comprised of community and business leaders, senior local and state government officers, and Regional Development Australia committee members, is advocating for the development of a migration attraction plan that will consider cultural diversity, improve settlement supports and address workforce skills gaps.

CERC director Professor Joanne Porter says many sectors across the region have workforce shortages in skilled and unskilled positions, which presents challenges for Gippsland-based industries.

"The program came about because there continues to be workforce shortages across regional Victoria, and we are looking at what needs to be done to fill these positions with migrants who can move to Gippsland," Professor Porter said.

"Gippsland Regional Partnership commissioned CERC to explore the experiences of migrants in regional areas because this region does not have a policy on regional migration, and it is important to really understand the landscape in terms of looking at the situation from all perspectives."

Professor Porter says CERC's study has explored the viewpoints of employers, key industry partners, and government agencies, as well as the stories of migrants about their experiences in transitioning into regional areas.

CERC's work included a series of scoping and engagement workshops with company chief executives and directors, local government representatives as well as people who have moved to the area.

"From these workshops, we have developed a set of guiding principles, and these guiding principles are going to lead to us developing a regionally based charter that all organisations and government departments can use to develop strategies to encourage people to move to the area," Professor Porter said.

"But there are many considerations – changes of visa requirements have put added stress on getting migrants to fill those available positions."

Professor Porter says that filling a position with a worker from overseas can be a five to six-month process – but it can be delayed even further, waiting for the worker to be registered in their profession or have had supervised practice within this country.

She says many sectors are looking at domestic students in the first instance who graduate from TAFE or university, but these students often won't fill all the workforce gaps and companies need to explore different strategies for their workforce's current and future needs.

Professor Porter says case studies of three groups – a community health service, a meat works, and a large food producer – highlighted the effort needed to bring migrant workers into an organisation, with much effort needed around recruitment, retention and other supports.

"This really highlighted the above and beyond efforts that these companies went to ensure that the workers had a smooth transition into their new job but also to give them the inclusion and connection to community, even helping them make connections within the community," Professor Porter said.

"This work also highlighted that no one agency is responsible for driving these initiatives. More can be done to inform businesses about the value and benefits of a migrant workforce and how that diversity can add value to their organisations.

"Many companies have already embraced workers from overseas. They fully understand that they enhance and enrich their organisation – this is helping make regional Victoria not just a destination of choice, but a place to call home."

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