Tasmania is a land apart – a place of wild and beautiful landscapes; friendly, welcoming people; a pleasant, temperate climate; wonderful wine and food; a rich history; and a relaxed island lifestyle. If you are intending to migrate to Australia - consider Tasmania. You will not be disappointed.
Tasmania is the large island off the SE corner of the Australian mainland. It is approximately the same size as Ireland (68,000 km²) and sits at a similar latitude to Bordeaux in France (40-43 degrees). This location and the surrounding oceans ensure Tasmania escapes the extreme heat of mainland Australia in summer, while winters are much milder than Northern Hemisphere countries at the same latitude. Quite simply, Tasmania is one of the most beautiful and unspoilt places in the world.
Ranked third out of 115 destinations worldwide by National Geographic Traveller Magazine (2004), Tasmania has become a bit of a Mecca for tourists and migrants looking to escape from all the pitfalls and downsides of modern life. Tasmania may not suit people who want a big city lifestyle but if you and your family want an escape from stress, overcrowding, pollution, traffic jams, unaffordable housing and grey skies while still enjoying all the benefits of modern economy and society then this might be just the place for you.
Approximately 490,000 people call Tasmania home with the population pretty evenly dispersed around the State. As the smallest region of Australia, Tasmania receives the least immigrants of all the States (around 1% of the annual intake), although interestingly, it has the highest proportion of UK born people within its overseas born population (47.2% in 2004-05). The State attracts people who like the idea of living in Australia but don’t enjoy extreme summer temperatures. Others come for quite specific reasons, like trout fishing or trekking (both world class), to run a dairy or fish farm or to buy the waterfront property or have the garden they could never afford back home.
Hobart, Tasmania’s capital lies in the south-east of the state, near the mouth of the Derwent River at the foot of Mount Wellington. Small enough to be intimate and large enough to have wonderful facilities, Hobart enjoys a spectacular location. The majestic Mount Wellington towers behind the Georgian warehouses of Salamanca Place, while nearby, elegant cruising yachts, fishing boats and Antarctic resupply vessels anchor beside fish punts and waterside cafes.
Tasmania has a broad based economy which is growing at around 3.5 %/annum. Major industries include tourism, boatbuilding and specialised manufacturing, timber processing, food production and mining and metal processing. People working in industries like media, banking or aviation would find opportunities limited but anyone with skills on DIAC’s MODL (Migration Occupations in Demand List) e.g. most trades or medical professionals) will find work easily.
Tasmania participates in the Skilled Independent Regional Visa programme which, via sponsorship, allows migrants with skills in demand to obtain a temporary visa for three years, allowing them to live and work in Tasmania. The state also participates in the State/Territory Nominated Visa (STNI) which aims to alleviate skills shortages by attracting migrants with high demand occupations. So, if you are a prospective skilled migrant who wishes to settle anywhere in Tasmania, the Department of Economic Development can nominate/sponsor your visa application through these visa schemes.
Applicants with skills in demand within Tasmania will be given preference, although people with other occupations will be considered if they can demonstrate that they are able to settle and secure skilled employment, or start a business, easily.
The Tasmanian Government offers resettlement advice and a range of free services for skilled and business migrants including airport meet and greet for new arrivals, assistance with booking of initial accommodation and car hire, one-on-one orientation sessions to assist migrants with establishing themselves in Tasmania including job hunting, qualifications recognition, checking of CVs, securing rental accommodation and education information. Each migrant interested in this service has a dedicated Resettlement Officer who remains in regular contact throughout the immigration process, both before and after arrival.
Free access to small business assistance is also provided through Business Point and a Statewide network of Enterprise Centres (http://www.development.tas.gov.au/business/).
Department of Economic Development
www.development.tas.gov.au
Tasmania Tourism
www.discovertasmania.com.au
Tasmania Government
www.tas.gov.au
