The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa is a permanent residence visa for skilled workers who have a job offer/employment in regional Australia. To be eligible for RSMS visa an employer must be located in a regional area, as defined by post codes. However, ALL of Western Australia, South Australia, ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania are considered regional. The applicant must have an occupation that is listed in with a skill level of 1 to 3 on the ANZSCO table.

Before an RSMS visa application can be lodged, a Regional Certifying Body (RCB) must certify that the position is in high demand in the regional area. Each RCB has their own rules (and charges) for processing this part of the application. The visa application can’t be lodged until the RCB has certified the application.
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It should be noted that an RSMS visa is liable to be cancelled if the employee does not remain with the employer for 2 years

The visa has three streams:

This visa involves a two-step process:

  • 1 - Nomination by an approved Australian employer.
  • 2 - Visa application under the nominated stream.

Criteria to apply:

  • The visa holder must have been nominated by an approved Australian employer in Regional Australia within the six months before application
  • The visa holder must be under the age of 50 at the time of application, unless exempt
  • The visa holder must have the required skills and qualifications for the position
  • The visa holder must have appropriate English language skills (at the time of application lodgement), unless you are exempt
  • The visa holder must meet health and character requirements
  • The visa holder must meet the requirements of the stream in which they apply for the visa

For information on your eligibility for a Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa, please contact us for a free assessment.