As of the 16th November 2019, this Visa has been replaced by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) with the new Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa Subclass 494. For information on this visa please visit this page here.

The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Subclass 187 allows employers in regional or low population growth areas of Australia, to sponsor employees who are foreign nationals for a permanent visa to work in Australia.

Who is eligible for the Regional Skilled Migration Scheme?

The employees applying for a regional sponsored visa can be either of the following:

• skilled workers from overseas
• skilled temporary residents currently in Australia

Visa applicants can apply in or outside of Australia for RSMS (subclass 187) visa.

Note: ONLY applicants who hold a substantive visa or relevant birging visa when applying for the RSMS visa (subclass 187) in Australia will be eligible for a bridging visa.

Other Requirements for the Regional Skilled Migration Scheme:

Direct Entry:

A regional certifying body must first certify the nominated position against the following criteria:

• Business must be actively and lawfully operating in Regional Australia
• The position must be available for a minimum of two (2) years
• The business requires a person for the nominated position and satisfies the market rate requirement

In addition, the department will also assess the application against the following criteria:

• the nomination has been approved by the relevant Regional Certifying Body
• the business follows all relevant Australian laws and has a satisfactory record of meeting immigration laws (if applicable)
• the nominated position is in a business operated by the employer
• the position is being remunerated in accordance with relevant workplace legislation and awards

The Employee must:

• have the relevant qualifications and/or work experience for the nominated position which are equivalent to the Australian standard (Skills Assessment may be required in some circumstances)
• meet any mandatory licensing, registration or professional membership requirements which allow you to work unsupervised and without further training
• have been offered a full time position for a fixed term of at least two years (supported by evidence of a contract or letter of appointment signed by both the employer and the employee)
• be under 50 years old
• have Competent English language ability

Note: Exemption of certain requirements is available.

How do I apply for the Regional Migration Scheme?

There are three possible application pathways for an RSMS visa:

• Temporary Residence Transition: where applicants have worked with the employer on a 482 visa for the last 3 years. In this case, no RCB certification is required.
• Direct Entry Stream: the position will need to be certified by an RCB. Applicants in trade occupations may require a formal skills assessment.
• Agreement Stream: where the employer has a Labour Agreement

Benefits of the Regional Skilled Migration Scheme:

This visa allows employers operating in regional and low population growth areas of Australia (NSW, Victoria, and other States and Territories) to sponsor skilled workers to fill skilled vacancies in their business.

Visa Charges

Nomination and Visa Charges can be found here.