Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme 187 Visa for Australia

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The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) allows employers in any area of Australia to sponsor highly skilled employees for permanent residency; the applicants can be either from outside Australia or employees already working and living in regional Australia on temporary visas.

It has three streams:

• The Temporary Residence Transition stream. This is for subclass 457 visa holders who have been living and working in regional Australia for two years and whose employer wants to offer them a permanent position
• The Direct Entry Stream is for people who have never or only briefly worked in the Australian labour market
• The Agreement Stream. This stream is for applicants who are sponsored by an employer through a labour or regional migration agreement
• The employer must first nominate the position to be filled and then the employee needs to lodge a visa application with DIAC.

The position that the employer nominates must:

• be in an occupation that is classified at skill level 1 to 3 in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) for the Direct Entry stream, or consistent with or similar to the position sponsored by the sponsor under the subclass 457 visa program for the Temporary Residence Transition stream
• be a full-time, ongoing position in the applicant’s field available for at least two years
• pay the market salary rate
• maintain or be committed to meeting the training requirements for the subclass 457 visa program for the Temporary Residence Transition stream.

In order to be eligible, the employee must:

• be nominated by an approved employer who will sponsor you for a position in their business in regional Australia
• be under 50 years of age
• meet the skills and qualification requirements
• meet any necessary registration or licensing requirements
• meet the English language requirements

There are exemptions relating to age, skills and English language requirements. Also, if you do not have an employer who will nominate you, you can lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI).

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