RSMS 187 visa

The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) visa enables a regional employer to sponsor an employee for permanent residency in Australia.

The employee must be nominated by the employer who sponsored their temporary work visa, a 482 visa or a 457 visa – or be holding a bridging visa A, B or C.

Steps to applying for a RSMS 187

For the Sponsoring Employer

Step 1. The sponsoring employer show they meet the requirements of a RSMS visa sponsor.

Step 2. The sponsoring employer nominates the position to be nominated for the RSMS visa.

Step 3. The immigration department approves the position to be nominated for the RSMS visa.

Step 4. The nominated employee applies for the RSMS visa.

The sponsoring employer receives a Transaction Reference Number (TRN) which the sponsored employee will need for their 187 visa application.

To nominate a position for the RSMS 187 visa, an employer needs to:

be based in regional Australia;

be actively and lawfully operate a business in regional Australia;

establish their need for an employee to fill the position;

offer a position in the skilled worker applicant’s field that is full time and lasting for at least 2 years;

pay a market salary rate;

comply with Australian immigration and workplace relations law.

To be nominated for the RSMS 187 visa, the employee needs to be:

less than 45 years old at the time of submitting their application (some exceptions apply);

hold a 482 visa or a 457 visa or a bridging visa A, B or C;

working for the same sponsoring employer for 3 years;

have the required skills;

be licensed as required by the state you intend to work in;

meet health and character requirements;

meet the English language requirements;

sign the Australian values statement.

I want help to sponsor an employee

For the Employee

Step 1. Gather the required supporting documents for the RSMS 187 visa. These are:

Identity documents

Passport page: You’ll need your current passport page with your photograph and personal details and passport expiry date.

A national identity card if you have one.

Proof of name change if applicable.

If this applies to you, you will need to include documents that prove your change of name. This could be a marriage or divorce certificate, documents that show any other names you have been known by, a lodgement of a name change on the Australian Registry of Births, Deaths or Marriages or equivalent.

Licensing, registration or membership

Present a copy of any license, professional membership or registration that is mandatory to perform your occupation in the state or territory you intend to work.

Skills Assessment

You may be asked to complete another skills assessment

English Language Requirements

pass English language requirements. For the Subclass 187, this must be the equivalent to an IELTS score of 6 – in contrast to the 482 visa for which a level 5 is required.

English language Exemptions

The level 6 IELTS equivalent score is not required if the candidate holds a passport issued by the UK, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand or the United States. Or if the 187 visa applicant can demonstrate they have completed full time study in English for at least 5 years.

Health requirements

When applying for the RSMS 187 visa, you do not need to include any health documents with your application.

Character documents

Australian police clearance: This must be a Complete Disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police. These should be no older than 12 months at the time you submit your visa application.

Overseas police clearances: You need to provide a police certificate from every country (including your home country) in which you have spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16and also police clearances for each country you have lived in since.

If you have served in the armed forces of any country, you will need to include your discharge papers and military service record.

Partner documents

Your partner will need to provide documents to verify their:

Identity

This can be their passport photo page, an identity card.

Relationship to you

Establishing your partner’s relationship to you can be done by providing a marriage certificate or providing 12 months of proof that you are in a de facto relationship, such as, joint bank account statements, billing accounts in both names, joint leases or mortgages.

English language Requirements

Your partner should be able to prove they have functional English. If not, be prepared to pay a secondary installment when the immigration department asks you to.

Character

Your partner will also need to provide the relevant police clearances.

Dependents under 18 years old

You can include children or other dependents under 18 years old in your 187 application. You will need to include their identity documents, proof of their relationship to you (such as a birth certificate) and character documents where applicable.

You will also need to obtain the written consent (using Form 1229 or by providing a statutory declaration) from anyone else who has a legal right to decide where the child lives and/or is not coming to Australia with the child. This needs to include the signature and photograph of the person who provided this written consent.

If you have dependents who are over 18 years old, you will need to include Form 47a detailing the ways this applicant is dependent on you. You can also include other forms of proof, such as their tax records, evidence they are currently studying and/or they live with you.

If this dependent was included on your 482 visa or 457 visa, you can include this as well.

Step 2. Submit your 187 visa application with supporting documents.

While your 187 visa application is being processed, you will be informed if you need to carry out any additional health exams or biometrics.

Step 3. Your RSMS 187 visa is granted.

You can be inside or outside of Australia when the decision is made. The immigration department will tell you the date your visa starts from.

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