Wondering whether you are eligible for a 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa? Let’s find out.
What is a 187 RSMS?
Commonly known as a 187 RSMS, this visa is subclass 187 in the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. It allows skilled workers to reside permanently in Australia, in a regional area.
187 RSMS has 3 Streams
There are three streams into a 187 RSMS. You may be able to access this visa by:
- moving across from a temporary residence visa. This is only for holders of a 457 temporary work visa.
- entering directly. You can only do this if you have never – or only briefly – worked in Australia.
- coming to an agreement. This means that your employer nominates you through a labour agreement.
How do I know I am eligible?
You might be able to apply for a 187 RSMS if you can prove that you:
- Are under 50 years old (unless you’re exempt)
- Have been nominated by an employer for a job in a regional area
- Have the skills and qualifications to do the job you’ve been nominated for, at the time you apply
- Meet the English language requirements
- Meet health and character requirements
- Meet the requirements of the stream under which you are applying.
Detailed information about eligibility criteria is available from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
Employer Eligibility Requirements
If you’re an employer and you want to nominate a skilled worker, you must:
- have a lawful business, one that is actively trading, and has a presence, in regional Australia
- have a genuine need for a paid employee to fill a skilled position
- have tried to find a suitable local worker to fill the position… and failed
- have a position that is full-time and ongoing, for a minimum of 2 years
- provide terms and conditions of employment equivalent to what you’d offer an Australian
- pay a salary that you’d pay to an Australian for the same job
- comply with all immigration and workplace relations laws
- … and so on.
What counts as a regional area?
There are a lot of areas of Australia that count as regional. So many, in fact, that we are better off looking at which areas are not regional areas.
You cannot be considered for a 187 visa if you are applying for Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Newcastle or Wollongong.
