If you just miss out on being eligible for one of the Permanent Skilled Visas (Skilled Independent or Skilled Sponsored), because EITHER
- your nominated occupation is not on the current Skilled Occupations List, OR
- your Points Test score is just less than 65,
you may be eligible for a TEMPORARY Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa, which enables you to live and work in Regional Australia for 3 years and to apply for a permanent Skilled Visa when you have lived there for 2 years and worked there full-time for 1 year.
The key to this visa is the term "REGIONAL AUSTRALIA", which refers to the whole of Australia with the exception of Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Wollongong, the greater Brisbane area, the Gold Coast, the Melbourne metropolitan area and Perth and surrounding areas.
Sponsored by a State or Territory
Every State and Territory has a State Migration Plan, which contain a larger number of occupations than does the current SOL, though the number and kind of occupations in each of the Plans is somewhat different. When your nominated occupation is in a particular State Migration Plan and you score at least 65 points on the Points Test, you may be eligible for a Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa by being sponsored by that State or Territory. If you are so sponsored, you can claim an extra 10 points for your Points Test, so that you only need 55 points on the basic Points Test to become eligible.
Sponsored by an Eligible Relative
If your nominated occupation is on the Skilled Occupations List, but your Points Test score is less than 65 and you or your spouse have an eligible relative who lives in Regional Australia and who is willing to sponsor you, you can claim an extra 10 points for your Points Test, so that you only need 55 points on the basic Points Test to become eligible.
Pathways to Permanent Residence
If you are successful in gaining the visa, you must live, work and study only in the Regional Area of Australia for which you have been sponsored. If you do, you can apply for a PERMANENT Skilled - Regional (Subclass 887) visa, after you have held the visa for two years.
You also have the option of applying for a permanent visa at any time if you are supported by a regional employer in regional Australia.
Requirements for the Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa
The full requirements for the Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa are slightly different for the two subclasses, but what they have in common, generally speaking, is that you have to be under 50 years of age and have
adequate EnglishYou must prove this by providing the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score required for your nominated occupation.. You will need to have formal professional qualifications in your
nominated occupation.Your nominated occupation is the occupation for which you have a Skills Assessment. Whether you are, or are not, a professional in your nominated occupation is determined by
the assessing body designated by Australia The State Migration Plans show which assessing body you need to approach for your particular occupation. to
assess your skills and qualifications.
Subclass 475 or Subclass 487 - offshore or onshore
Which visa subclass you can apply for depends on where you are when you submit your application - "outside Australia" or "in Australia". This is a bit of a simplification, though it is probably true for most situations: your visa application can be lodged inside or outside of Australia, but the application will be considered an offshore application, unless you meet the "2-years full-time study in Australia requirement". This is, in fact, the main difference: Subclass 475 applicants must have had a paid job for 12 months in the last 2 years, while Subclass 487 applicants must instead meet the 2-years full-time study in Australia requirement.
