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South Australia Regional Profile
From the fertile coastal areas in the south to the vast deserts of The Outback, South Australia is a state of contrasts and surprises. South Australians pride themselves on living the good life, and cultural pursuits, good food and wine are high on the agenda. So, if you're intending to migrate, take a look at the state of South Australia, you will be assured of a pleasant surprise.
Unlike other Australian states, South Australia's citizens were not drawn from convicts but were attracted by the potential to build wealth in wool, copper and wheat. Blessed with an excellent climate and good soil, South Australia is home to some of the freshest food and finest wines in the country. Over half of Australian wines come from wineries in the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Langhorne Creek.
Covering 984,377 square kilometres, South Australia is roughly four times the size of the United Kingdom and more than three and a half times the size of New Zealand, so there is plenty of room to move and grow. One and a half million people live in the State with just over one million in and around the Adelaide metropolitan area.
Adelaide, South Australia's capital city, has long adhered to the belief that it is better to be an interesting individual than a clone of someone else. Adelaide nestles between sea and hills, and is a graceful city of wide streets, elegant buildings and parkland. It takes special delight in just being itself, aware that it possesses inherent beauty, charm and elegance. Often referred to as the "twenty minute city", from the city centre it is twenty minutes of easy travel to the airport, the beautiful Adelaide Hills, the beach, wineries, bush walking trails and many other places of interest. Leafy parks and suburbs surround the metropolitan area, so it appears as if Adelaide is a city in a park.
Adelaide has a great reputation for art and culture. Each year visitors travel from all over the globe to attend one of 500 events and festivals held every year. They range from international arts festivals to small regional events and celebrate all forms of art and culture - there is even a Festival of Ideas! The alternative Fringe Festival and the internationally recognised Adelaide Festival of the Arts, honouring the world of performing and creative arts, generate a constant energy in the city.
Adelaide's climate is best described as Mediterranean, with an average temperature of 16 degrees Celsius during the winter months of June, July and August and warm dry summer temperatures of 28 degrees Celsius in December, January and February. A daily average of 10 hours of sunshine allows for a very pleasant outdoor lifestyle most of the year.
Just 45 minutes south of Adelaide, is the Fleurieu Peninsula, which for generations has been a favourite summer holiday playground for South Australians. Bordered by a sweeping coastline and countless white sandy beaches, the peninsula is home to over 20 parks.
North of Adelaide is the Flinder's Ranges, the southern gateway of Australia's Interior. The Outback of South Australia is a vast region that covers 80% of the State's area, but is home to less than 1% of the population. It is a land of extreme contrasts, from arid cattle grazing lands in the north, to desert plains and sand hills, to the magnificent wetlands of the Coongie Lake system.
South Australia offers a unique balance between work, business and lifestyle. It has a vibrant, cosmopolitan community made up of people from over 100 different countries and South Australians pride themselves on living the good life. Adelaide is a more affordable city to live in than most other Australian capital cities. In particular, the costs of accommodation and transportation are significantly less than in Sydney or Melbourne. Business establishment costs are also low and this is increasingly evident as Adelaide becomes the preferred location for the establishment of call centres and regional offices.
There are three world-class universities offering multi-disciplinary graduate and post-graduate degrees in South Australia. Eight Technical and Further Education institutes provide vocational education and training courses. Government and private (independent) schools provide primary and secondary education.
To encourage skilled and business migrants to consider re-locating to South Australia, the State Government has developed the Immigration SA program. While the other Australian States are keen to attract migrants, South Australia is the only State with a range of practical services and incentives developed specifically for new migrants.
The South Australian Government recognises the important role skilled migrants play in reducing skill shortages in the State. The unique On Arrival services offered by Immigration SA have been assisting new migrants with successful integration into the community since 1997. On Arrival services include:
• Meet and Greet Service
• The On Arrival Accommodation service
• Migrant Employment Consultancy Service
• Overseas Qualifications Service
• SA Settlement Orientation Service
South Australia continues to be a major user of the Regional Migration Scheme which was created to help employers fill skilled, full-time positions available for a minimum of two years, using skilled people from overseas or temporary residents already in Australia.The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) allows an employer to nominate a suitably qualified person from overseas to fill a vacancy if there is no one suitable within South Australia. SA is currently the largest user of RSMS within Australia. Adelaide is one of the only two mainland capital cities eligible for this visa.
The STNI Scheme allows the SA Government to nominate applicants who have skills in demand in the State from the Commonwealth Government Database to settle in South Australia. See the Fact Sheet on Employment Opportunities at http://www.immigration.sa.gov.au/ for more details.
The success of the On Arrival Services for skilled migrants prompted the Government of South Australia to expand Immigration SA to also assist business category migrants. The Relocation Service is a tailor-made assistance and support for business migrants settling in South Australia, including:
• Information Pack
• Arrival Meet and Greet
• Temporary Accommodation Coordination
• Furniture and Electrical Purchase Facilitation
• Education Enrolment Assistance
• Appointment with Immigration SA – Business Migration Manager
• Information Sessions (covering a variety of topics based on new migrants’ needs)
With a high quality of life, friendly locals and a State Government who actively supports new migrants, South Australia is a great place in which to live, work and establish a business.
Immigration South Australia
www.immigration.sa.gov.au
South Australia Tourism
www.southaustralia.com
Business in South Australia
www.southaustralia.biz
Government Info & Services Directory
www.service.sa.gov.au
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