Skilled migrants willing to live and work in regional Australia will have their visas fast-tracked under a $19.4 million plan, announced by the federal government. 

The budget will be used throughout the next four years as the Department of Home Affairs officials will assist local businesses in regional areas to get more skilled workers. 

The plan will address key issues in Australia including skill dispersion, population growth and congestion issues. 

“Two-thirds of new immigrants are going to our capital cities, in particular Sydney, Melbourne and in southeast Queensland,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. “This is creating pressures on infrastructure, not only on our roads but also on our public transport, creating pressures on health, on education and other essential services.”

“We need to send people where the jobs are and we need to cooperate across states and territories,” Mr Frydenberg added. 

The plan will place priority in processing visas sponsored by employers in regional areas, and also allow local councils to recruit skilled workers from overseas. 

However, the federal government also warned that migrants moving to regional areas that do not stay in the designated areas will have their visas cancelled and be risked to deportation. 

“The visa applies for work in that area. So, you can’t go and work somewhere else. It’s (the visa) actually linked to that specific area,” Immigration Minister David Coleman said. 

“They would have to seek another visa and they wouldn’t have that visa. It would be unlikely, to be frank, that they would obtain it and they wouldn’t be able to obtain permanent residency if they did that,” Mr Coleman added.