THE establishment of a Regional SA Designated Area Migration Agreement - which could bring in up to 750 new overseas workers a year - has been met with broad support from business representatives, although some farmers say it won't be a 'game-changer'.
The federal government plans to triple regional skilled migrant intake but SA has been identified as having specific skills shortages, which the DAMA aims to address. The five-year agreement covers 117 occupations, including agriculture and food processing, and uses the 482 Temporary Skills Shortage visa.
Similar DAMAs are already in place in the NT, the Kalgoorlie Boulder region of WA and south-west Vic.
Member for Barker Tony Pasin says it is about providing a "pathway to permanent residency" for those overseas workers willing to live and work in regional areas for three years.
"Whether it is horticulture in the Riverland or livestock production in the South East, there is not a day that goes by that someone doesn't want to discuss with me their labour issues," he said.
"We have overseas free trade agreement deals in place and have created the opportunities for our food and fibre, so now we need the staff to be able to deliver on them."
Related reading: New visas send more skilled workers to regions for longer
Mr Pasin says skilled migrants provide a net gain to the economy and he did not foresee any strain on health or education services.
"All the government funding models are based on population, so with more people the area is more likely to have better services," he said.
The new DAMA has been welcomed by Regional Development SA as potentially securing $20 billion of investment across SA.
If they force them (overseas workers) out here and they aren't happy about it, they won't want to work.
- TONY ROWETT
RDA SA chair Rob Kerin says it will give businesses the confidence to go ahead with planned expansions.
"Some of regional SA's most significant and emerging industries are those with the greatest skill and labour needs, including agribusiness, food manufacturing and processing, mining, renewable energy, aged and disability care, tourism and accommodation," he said.
But Rowett Onions co-owner Tony Rowett and administrator Tiffany Golding do not see the DAMA as a game-changer for their Bordertown onion packing shed.
"If they force them (overseas workers) out here and they aren't happy about it, they won't want to work," Mr Rowett said.
Ms Golding says because Adelaide is still part of the DAMA, many workers will look to get jobs in the Adelaide Hills rather than venturing to the Tatiara region.
Related reading: Skilled migrants to fill vacancies in regional SA
Both Mr Rowett and Ms Golding say overseas workers are critical to the business, making up about two thirds of the 20 to 25 staff.
But they prefer to employ those on 417 working holiday visas, bridging visas, protection visas or permanent migrants.
"We still have to meet the other requirements - we still have to nominate the position, we still have to nominate the person and do the labour market testing, which is time consuming and costly," Ms Golding said.
"Initial cost for the employee and annual employer fees for the 482 visas are uneconomical, so if we employ someone on the other visas, it is not costing them as much to come and work for us."
