The Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) visa is for skilled migrants interested in living and working in areas of Victoria outside of the Melbourne metropolitan area.

The sponsorship provides skilled migrants with a three-year provisional (temporary) visa to explore employment and lifestyle opportunities.

After living and working in a region of Victoria outside metropolitan Melbourne for at least two years, you can apply for permanent residency through a range of options such as the State/Territory Nominated Independent Scheme.

You can submit your application for the Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) visa online. Before submitting an application for sponsorship make sure you meet the criteria for the Skilled Independent Regional visa including:

• you must be under 45 years of age
• have vocational level English.
• attain 110 points on the DIAC skills test
• be prepared to live and work in regional Victoria
• have had your skills assessed by the appropriate Australian assessing authority.
  

DIAC will award 10 Bonus points if you are sponsored by an authorised State or Territory government agency. Please make sure that you add this 10 bonus points to your Victorian SIR Sponsorship application in the Bonus Points field.

Filling out the SIR application form you will need to provide:

• Your personal and contact details
• Details of your spouse and/or dependents (if applicable)
• Details of any visa application already lodged
• Details of your financial resources
• Details of any employment offer you have in Victoria
• Details of any professional qualifications
• Details of any previous visits to Australia
• Details of any friends or relatives already in Australia
• Details of the research you have conducted into your settlement prospects in the region you would prefer to live, and professional contacts you have made in this region
• Electronic copies of your CV.

Eligibility for Sponsorship

To be eligible for state sponsorship from the Victorian Government, applicants must have either:

1. An offer of employment from an employer in regional Victoria in their nominated occupation, or
2. An occupation on the SIR Eligibility List.

• Applicants in this category must identify a region on the SIR Eligibility List where their skill are currently in demand.
• Applicants must demonstrate they have researched their nominated industry in their chosen region and provide details of professional contacts made in that region.

The application will be assessed on whether the migrant has:

• Identified and investigated employment and other opportunities in a regional area. All employment offers are checked for validity.
• Sufficient funds to relocate, establish and support themselves and any dependents in Victoria while they seek employment.
• Made connections with regional Victoria through family, friends, previous travel, study or employment.
• Thoroughly researched their industry in their chosen regions and understood what is required to successfully settle in regional Victoria.
• Made professional contacts within their industry in their nominated region.
• Committed to purchasing private health insurance prior to visa application.