Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation, Jacinta Allan, will welcome the visitors who come from a diverse range of cultures with a variety of skills and professions that business in Bendigo needs.

It is the first regional Live In Victoria skilled migration seminar to be held under the State Government’s Post Arrival Services Program.

It has been organised with the City of Greater Bendigo to address regional skill shortages.

“Skilled migrants often have views of regional Victoria based on what they have seen in films or advertising - small towns in the outback,’’ Ms Allan said.

“What we are trying to achieve with the bus, the family tours and the seminar is to challenge those misconceptions and promote regional Victoria as bustling centres where skilled migrants and their families can live, work and prosper.

“Regional Victoria has enjoyed strong employment, investment and population growth over the past eight years, but this growth now means that regional businesses and industries are finding it difficult to attract sufficient highly skilled workers.’’ Victoria’s $3.98 million Global Skills for Provincial Victoria program, of which Post Arrival Services is a part, is aimed at helping meet the need for highly skilled workers in regional Victoria.

“To extend the theme for the day to migrants as well as their families, we want the participants to fall in love with Bendigo through visits to local landmarks and attractions,’’ said Ms Allan.

While the primary skilled migrants attend the seminar on occupations in short supply in Bendigo, their families will visit the Golden Dragon Museum.

They will also visit Central Deborah Gold Mine, the Discovery Science and Technology Centre, Bendigo Marketplace the region’s hospitals, schools, parks and shopping districts.