Just off the top of my head and all based on two people. Cost to apply $1500 (don't know if both have to lodge separate apps). Tickets to where ever $1000. Car rental 400. Hotel for one maybe two weeks at least 800. Eating out for that time at least 500. Do they need meds, police checks... 500. Lost wages for that time 2000 (if you haven't been at the same job for a year you most likely don't have holiday pay). Agents fees at least 1000... Wouldn't surprise me if it was actually much higher when all is said and done. And the applicant is still stuck with a very restrictive visa. And if that weren't enough, could be refused - where does that leave someone. Moral of the story avoid the SIR route and any of the other restrictive visas if at all possible. If not, chill out, do your time and save the money for a house by the beach.
You say that some that move to the regions have a tough time finding work. So how do you think they can pay for another visa - will you take a cheque. Just had to throw that in. Basically anyone with money most likely didn't have to go the route that would need them to be thinking about jumping onto another visa.
In an odd sort of way the sir route was a bit of a blessing... I am going back to uni and cause I'm a temp res I'm not subject to the government agents that decide whether I can go to uni or not and what I can study. Because all unis here reserve so many seats for "foreign" students they didn't even care if I had the grades or not. So I'll time it that I'm a foreign part time student for my first semester and a domestic student for the rest. Saving me a load of cash and letting me do what I want.
