187 Visa

187 Visa: REGIONAL SPONSORED MIGRATION SCHEME

The subclass 187 Visa or ‘Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa’ is available for skilled workers who wish to work in regional Australia. It is a permanent residence visa.

It can be applied for from inside or outside Australia. If the applicant is in Australia, they must hold a substantive visa or a certain type of bridging visa.

Who Is Eligible For The 187 Visa?

A prospective migrant may be eligible for the Regional Skilled Migration Scheme visa if they:

Have been nominated by an approved Australian employer in regional Australia within six months of the application
Are under the age of 45 at the time of the application (unless an exemption applies)
Have the requires skills, experience and qualifications for the position they have been nominated for
Have the appropriate language skills required for the stream in which they are applying for (more information on streams below)
Meet health and character requirements
Meet the requirements of the stream in which they are applying

What Are The Other Requirements Of The 187 Visa?

A prospective migrant can apply for the Regional Skilled Migration Scheme visa through one of two streams.

Stream 1: Temporary Residence Transition Stream

This is relevant if the applicant is the holder of a Temporary Skilled visa (subclass 457) or TSS visa who has worked for their employer in their nominated position for three years and their employer wants to offer them a permanent position.

Stream 2: Direct Entry Stream

This stream may be relevant for those who have never or only briefly worked in the Australian labour market, or for those who do not qualify for the Temporary Residence Transition stream.

What Are The Benefits?

This visa allows the applicant to include a married or de facto partner, their dependent children, and other dependent family members who meet the requirements for including family members in the application.