The Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) Visa scheme provides eligible skilled migrants with a temporary visa to look for employment and explore lifestyle opportunities.

The creation of the State Migration Centre is particularly important to regional Western Australia (WA) as it enables the State Government to formally sponsor skilled migrants wishing to live and work in areas outside metropolitan Perth.

This State sponsorship is essential to being granted a Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) Visa by the Australian Government's Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

Applicants for a SIR (Provisional) visa in WA must:

• Be under 45 years of age.
• Have vocational English language skills.
• Have a degree, diploma or trade qualification.
• Nominate an occupation relevant to their skills that is listed on the Skills Occupation List (SOL) and obtain a positive skill assessment from the relevant assessing authority.
• Score at least 110 points on the General Skilled Migration points test.
• Apart from an occupation listed in the SOL, applicants should ideally have skills that are in demand and will contribute to economic development in regional WA.
• Have recent work experience or study.
• Have researched the region(s) in which they wish to live and work.

Once the nomination process is complete, the SMC has no further involvement with the granting of visas.