The RSMS 187 visa grants permanent residency to the nominated employee and requires sponsorship by a regionally-based employer.
It is part of Australia’s regional migration scheme that enables employers to sponsor skilled workers from overseas. The employer and the place of work must be located in regional Australia. This excludes the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong, Melbourne and, as of March 2017, Perth.
How do you sponsor a candidate for a subclass 187 visa?
An employer wanting to nominate a position for the RSMS 187 visa must:
actively and lawfully operate a business in regional Australia
establish your need for an employee to fill the position
offer a position in the skilled worker applicant’s field that is full time lasting for at least 2 years
pay a market salary rate
show that you comply with Australian immigration and workplace relations law
1. Nominate the position
As the employer, you nominate the position from the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skilled List (MLTSSL) also known as Schedule 1.
Elect one of the three streams of sponsorship. These are:
Transitioning Residence Transition stream: If the candidate you are sponsoring is already your employee on a 457 visa, has been in Australia for 2 years, has been carrying out the same occupation with you, this pathyways enables you to offer them a permanent position.
As the employer, you will need to accompany the nomination with specific supporting documents, such as pay slips, job descriptions. Our job is to make that process streamlined and easier for you. We can advise you on what documents need to be included, double check the information is what the Immigration Department is seeking, and lodge the nomination on your behalf.
Direct Entry stream: this is for employers looking to sponsor a candidate directly into a permanent position or sponsor a temporary resident who does not qualify for the Temporary Residence Transition stream. You may be asked to engage a Regional Certifying Body for their advice in relation to a Direct Entry stream position. Our experienced migration agents can guide you on meeting the nomination criteria, help your candidate obtain the necessary skill assessments and represent both of you in dealings with the Immigration Department.
Agreement stream: this is for 457 visa holders by an employer through a negotiated formal labour agreement.
2.Lodge the position nomination and wait for approval.
3.The candidate submits the visa application
For a candidate to qualify for this visa, they must show:
they have an occupation that is included on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
they are qualified in the nominated occupation by presenting recognized qualifications and experience and/or having their trade skills assessed by the relevant assessment authority
evidence of possessing the required English language standard. For the RSMS 187 visa, this is the equivalent to an IELTS score of 6
pass character and health checks
Plan Ahead
Next March 2018, employers will incur a training levy. For businesses with an annual turnover of less than $10 million a year, the one-off levy will be $3000. For business with an annual turnover of more than $10 million a year, the one-off levy will be $5000.