Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa (Subclass 187)

The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa - Subclass 187 is for skilled workers who want to work in regional Australia. It is part of the Permanent Employer Sponsored Visa program. The RSMS helps Australian emp­loyers in regional and low population growth areas to recruit skilled foreign workers to fill permanent vacancies that are unable to be filled from the local labour market.

The RSMS visa is a permanent resident visa. An applicant can be in or outside Australia when they apply. If they are in Australia, they must hold a substantive visa or a certain type of bridging visa. 

The RSMS visa has the same three streams as the Employer Nomination Scheme visa: 

Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream

This is for subclass 457 visa holders who have worked for their employer in their nominated occupation for two years and their employer wants to offer them a permanent position in that occupation.

Direct Entry (DE) stream

This is for people who have never, or only briefly, worked in the Australian labour market,  temporary residents who do not qualify for the TRT stream, or applicants with a nomination lodged before 1 July 2012.

Labour Agreement (LA) stream

This is for people nominated by an employer through a labour agreement.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the RSMS visa, applicants must: 

·        have been nominated by an approved Australian employer for a job in regional Australia (the Noosa is located in Regional Australia)

·        be younger than 50 years of age, unless exempted

·        meet the skills, qualifications and English language requirements, unless exempted

·        apply under the stream for which they were nominated.