The Regional Sponsor Migration Scheme visa (Subclass 187) is for skilled workers who are nominated by their Australian employer in Regional Australia live and work in Australia permanently.
It is a two-step application process:
- Nomination by an approved Australian Employer for an occupation or position required for the business.
- Visa application by the skilled overseas worker under the nominated stream
They are available both to applicants who are already living and working in Australia as temporary residents, and to those living outside Australia.
Nomination by the employer
The Australian employer must obtain sponsorship status. To obtain sponsorship, the employer must:
- demonstrate that they are actively and lawfully operating in Regional Australia
- have a commitment to train existing employees
The subclass 187 visa is available in streams and each stream has its own criterion:
Direct Entry (DE) Stream. In this stream:
- you must be nominated by an Australian employer whose business is actively and lawfully operating
- Apply for the visa within 6 months of your nomination being approved
- You must work for your nominating employer in Regional Australia .
- Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.
- you must have at least Competent English
- You must have at least 3 years relevant work experience in your occupation
- Most applicants need to have a skills assessment that shows they have the skills to work in the nominated position.
- You must be under 45 years of age when you apply, there are exemptions to this criteria
- You may include your family members (partner and dependent children) in the application.
Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) Stream. To apply in the TRT stream you must
- Hold a subclass 457, TSS or related bridging visa A, B or C
- Your employer must have sponsored you full-time in Regional Australia on your subclass 457 or 482 (TSS) visa(s) for at least:
- three out of the previous four years before your employer nominates you for the subclass 187 visa, or
- two out of the previous three years before the nomination is made, if transitional arrangements apply because you either held, or were an applicant for, a subclass 457 visa on 18 April 2017 (and the visa was subsequently granted).
- be nominated by an Australian employer whose business is actively and lawfully operating
- Apply for the visa within 6 months of your nomination being approved.
- have at least Competent English
- be under 45 years of age when you apply, there are exemptions to this criteria
- You may include your family members (partner and dependent children) in the application.