Regional Perspectives on Regional Migration and Migrant Work
摘要
Regional migration and settlement have become important policy objectives in Australia, pursued by different levels of government and for different purposes. Beside government, different region-based stakeholders also influence the outcomes of regional migration policies and these policies shape in turn their work as service providers or employers. While much scholarship on regional migration and settlement has focused on questions of attraction and retention of migrants, this research addresses the perspectives of people working with regional migrants. The chapter draws on recent empirical research among service providers and employers in a regional town in the North-West of Victoria which examined the varied perspectives on regional migration among non-migrants in a destination of migrants. The research took place before and during the pandemic, shining a light on the dependence of regional towns on migrant labour. From labour shortages to cultural contributions, the chapter examines and distinguishes perceptions of the benefits and challenges of regional migration by those who service or employ migrants. Based on an analysis of these perspectives, the chapter offers suggestions for future regional migration policy making.