Figures released last month by DIMIA reveal that the number of migrants settling in regional areas of Australia increased across all during the 2004-05 migration year.

It is estimated that a figure of 18,700 visas were granted through one of the country’s State and Regional Migration schemes in this period, almost doubling the number nominated through these schemes in the previous year.

Although it’s no surprise that the popularity of emigrating to a regional area of Australia is really taking off - the Australian government has encouraged immigration into rural communities in recent years, introducing schemes such as the State Territory Nominated Independent (STNI) visa, the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS), and most recently the Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) provisional visa last July - the numbers still by far and away exceeded DIMIA’s original 2004-05 programme planning levels of around 15,000 immigrants.

South Australia experienced the biggest increase of immigrants entering the state through the SSRM. Western Australia enjoyed the second-biggest percentage increase, boosting its SSRM immigration by 84.5 per cent.

Recent statistics released by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) reveal that around 18,700 visas were granted under the State Specific and Regional Migration (SSRM) scheme in the 2004-05 migration year - a 50 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

South Australia enjoyed the biggest percentage increase in migrants settling in regional areas (139.1 per cent) followed by Western Australia (84.5 per cent). In terms of overall numbers, Victoria welcomed the most migrants into its regional areas, with 7,100 settling outside of a metropolis.

But according to immigration minister Senator Amanda Vanstone, the figures only tell half the story.

"The real story is the individuals, from a female Dutch welder working in Darwin, a Scottish hairdresser now working in South Australia's Barossa Valley to an Irish geologist working on the Western Australian goldfields."

The increase in regional immigrants was given as one of the key factors as to why Australia welcomed its largest number of skilled immigrants since the late 1980s, with 77,880 newcomers (65 per cent of the country's total immigrants) emigrating through Australia's skill stream.

• Have State or Territory government sponsorship
  
  
• Make an investment in a government treasury bond in that State or Territory
  
  
• Be at least 55 years of age and there must be no other dependants except a spouse
  
  
• Have sufficient assets to ensure they can support themselves in Australia, and
  
  
• Maintain private health insurance for the duration of their visa.

• University Degree qualification or above and/or relevant work experience. How much work experience will be required is not clear yet;
  
  
• Australian National should have been offered a job in the US by a US based employer;
  
  
• US based employer must secure a certified Labor Certificate Application (LCA) with the Dept of Labor. This is similar to the H-1B criteria in place;
  
  
• The Australian National must also attest that they intend to return to their home country.

• Spouses and children of the E-3 Visa holder are able to join the applicant;
  
  
• Spouses are able to work in the US;
  
  
• E-3 Visas can be renewed indefinitely;
  
  
• May be able to switch into categories leading to settlement in the US, although Congress has not passed this bill and the logistics of it are still not clear.

• Fees??? No idea what the Filing fee will be for the E-3.
  
  
• Will it ultimately lead to settlement? No idea, at this time considered unlikely.
  
  
• Switching into other categories leading to settlement? Maybe.