Regional Sponsored Visas

To encourage skilled workers to live in the regional areas of Australia, Australian States and Territories are allowed to sponsor skilled workers for both temporary and permanent visas. Your close relative can also sponsor you for regional sponsored visas.

Under the subclass 487 visa, a state/territory or an eligible close relative can sponsor you for a temporary visa for three years. To qualify you must meet the minimum pass mark and must nominate an occupation . To qualify under the state nomination, you must meet the criteria specified by the relevant state/territories. If you are sponsored by a close relative, the relative must be an immediate family member, an aunt or uncle etc. If you are applying from offshore, you can apply under subclass 475 visa. To qualify for a subclass 475 visa, apart from meeting other requirements, you must show that you have been employed in a skilled occupation for twelve months in the last twenty-four months immediately preceding the date of application.

If you are granted this visa, you must live in a regional area for at least two years and must also work full-time in a specified regional area. There is a difference between a designated regional area and a regional area. Once you have held this visa for a minimum period of two years and met the requirements , you may be eligible to apply for permanent residence under the subclass 887 visa