As debate rages about immigration in Melbourne and Sydney, Premier Steven Marshall says SA needs more skilled migrants

MIGRANTS would be lured to South Australia via a specialised entrepreneur visa and new rules for the regions, under a plan spruiked by Premier Steven Marshall.

• SA’s plan to drive up lagging population growth
• SA lost 25,000 people to other states, gained 53,000 immigrants
• Proposal to cut immigration could reverse SA’s population climb

MIGRANTS would be lured to South Australia via a specialised entrepreneur visa and new rules for the regions, under a plan spruiked by Premier Steven Marshall.

As debate rages across the country about immigration levels and some political leaders caution against growth, Mr Marshall said SA needed thousands more migrants each year.

He met federal Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge this week to finetune a plan to address SA’s sluggish population growth. He wants SA to grow at the national average of 1.6 per cent — well above the current rate of 0.6 per cent.

Matching such growth would mean SA’s population would grow from about 10,500 additional people last year to 27,576 next year.

Mr Marshall told The Advertiser his four-point plan includes:

TARGETING skilled migration through a specialised entrepenuer visa and tailored rules for SA.

STOPPING the brain drain from SA by keeping the state’s brightest at home and enticing expats to return.

ATTRACTING a higher percentage of international students.

The State Government, in conjunction with the Commonwealth, is running a pilot program for entrepreneurs.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said a lack of skilled migration in South Australia is holding back our productive capacity. Picture: AAP / Morgan Sette

The program, which is expected to continue will be evaluated before the State Budget is handed down on September 4.

“Entrepeneurship is going to be a real focus of this government,” Mr Marshall said.

“We are also going to establish entrepreneur specialists schools in South Australia.

“Our ambition for the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site is an incubator accelerator for new business to focus on new industries in this state.”

Mr Marshall spoke to Mr Tudge this week about a scheme that would mean parts of regional SA could be declared priority rural migration areas.

The plan, aimed at boost shrinking agricultural communities, is expected to be up and running by the end of the year.

“There is no doubt, there is a two-speed economy in regards to population growth,” Mr Marshall said.

“Quite frankly, the one-size-fits-all approach does not work. A lack of skilled migration in South Australia is actually holding back our productive capacity.”

Last month, a Department of Home Affairs report revealed the total number of people allowed under the migration program in Australia fell from 183,608 to 162,417 in a year. It peaked at 190,000 under the Rudd and ­Gillard governments.

The reports reignited debate around the country about immigration in Australia.

Mr Marshall said it was an important debate for SA.

“We don’t think this is a debate that should be exploited or feared or exploited for populist purposes,” Mr Marshall said.

“We need a Federal Government response to take in our specific issues.”

Figures obtained by The Advertiser show the number of skilled migrant visas issued for SA has dropped almost 25 per cent in three years.

Mr Marshall said ways to attract expats to the state was one of the first items discussed at the inaugural meeting of his new Economic Advisory Council.

And enticing more international students to the state, in part through an SA-specific visa program, could offer huge benefits to the state.

“If we could boost this to match our current population share, we could attract an additional 19,800 in students, which would have an annual economic benefit of $590 million and create about 4500 additional jobs in our state,” Mr Marshall said.