•   There is a genuine need for a paid employee in a business operated by the employer that is actively and lawfully operating in a regional area of Australia
•   The terms and conditions of employment are the same as those that would apply to an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident performing the same work in the same location
•   The nominated position cannot be reasonably filled from the local labour market.

Nomination Who Can Nominate A Skilled Worker For This Visa

Employer Can Nominate A Skilled Worker For This Visa If:

•   they actively and lawfully operate a business in regional Australia (regional Australia does not include the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong or Melbourne)
•   they have a genuine need for a paid employee to fill a skilled position
•   they offer a skilled position in the applicant’s field that is full time and ongoing for at least two years
•   they pay a market salary rate
•   they comply with Australian immigration and workplace relations laws
•   there is no adverse information known about your business or any person associated with your business.

Employer Must Nominate The Applicant In One Of The Three Streams And Meet The Requirements Of That Stream.

1. Temporary Residence Transition Stream

The Employer Can Use This Stream If They Have Already Sponsored The Applicant For A Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa (Subclass 457) And Meet The Following Requirements:

• • •   The employee must have worked in the same nominated position in the business, as the primary visa holder of a Temporary Work (Skilled) visa, for at least two years before the nomination is lodged.
    •   The nomination must identify an occupation (for the position) that is listed in the Consolidated Sponsored Occupations List and has the same four-digit occupation unit group code as the occupation being carried out by the employee
    •   The nominated position must be full time, ongoing and available for at least two years and be consistent with the position in which the applicant has already worked in the business
    •   The employer must have met the subclass 457 training requirements in each year you have been a standard business sponsor. ?

2. Direct Entry Stream

The Employer Can Use This Stream If They Want To Nominate An Applicant To Fill A Position That Is:
An Occupation As Specified By DHA Under Lists Of Certain Occupations At ANZSCO Skill Level One, Two, Or Three
Full-Time, Ongoing And Available For At Least Two Years.

3. Agreement Stream

The Employer Can Use This Stream To Nominate An Applicant Through A Labour Agreement That Has Been Negotiated With The Government Before You Lodge The Nomination.

A Labour Agreement Is A Formal Arrangement Negotiated Between An Australian Employer And The Australian Government. The Employer Might Consider Entering Into A Labour Agreement If There Is A Genuine And Systemic Shortage Of Suitably Skilled Australian Workers In The Industry And/Or Geographic Location, And Standard Immigration Options Are Not Suitable.

A Labour Agreement Comes Into Effect When It Has Been Signed By All Parties Involved In The Negotiations And Is Typically Valid For Three Years.

Market Salary Rate

The Employer Must Provide Terms And Conditions Of Employment That Are No Less Favorable Than Those That Would Apply To An Australian Citizen Or Australian Permanent Resident Doing Equivalent Work In The Same Workplace.

Terms And Conditions Include The Nominated Position’s Salary, Hours Of Work And Leave Entitlements (Among Other Things). The Salary Paid To An Australian Worker Under These Terms And Conditions Of Employment Is Known As The Market Salary Rate.

The Employer Must Prove That It Will Pay Its Skilled Worker The Market Salary Rate. Depending On Whether The Employer Has An Australian Doing Similar Work, The Employer Can Do This By:

• • •   reporting the terms and conditions that apply to an Australian worker who is already employed in a similar job in a similar location in the workplace
    •   referring to an industrial award or enterprise agreement that outlines terms and conditions for Australians performing similar work in similar locations
    •   providing relevant data from reputable remuneration surveys
    •   providing evidence of the salaries of employees performing equivalent work in similar locations.

1. Temporary Residence Transition Stream

The Visa Applicant Might Be Able To Get This Visa Under The Temporary Residence Transition Stream If S/He Meets The Following Criteria At The Time Of Visa Lodgement And Provides Documented Evidence Of The Same:

• • •   at least vocational English(unless exempted)
    •   has worked for two years in the nominated position with the nominating employer, while holding Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) as the primary visa holder
    •   has been nominated by the employer for a permanent position under this stream and the nomination has been approved satisfactory health and character requirements

Skill Assessment Is Not Required As The Employee Has Already Worked For The Nominating Employer For Two Years In Australia.

2. Direct Entry Stream

The Visa Applicant Might Be Able To Get This Visa Under The Direct Entry Stream If One Of The Following Applies To The Applicant:

• • •   has never, or only briefly, worked in Australia
    •   holds a Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) but does not qualify for the Temporary Residence Transition stream
    •   is applying directly from outside Australia.

At Time Of Application Lodgement, The Applicant Must Provide Evidence That S/He Satisfies The Following Requirements:

• • •   has at least competent English (unless exempted)
    •   meets the skills requirements, unless exempted. The skills requirements are:
    •  if the applicant has not obtained a necessary Australian qualificatio suitable to the occupation, then s/he must obtain a valid skills assessment prior to the application. A skills assessment is only valid until the expiry date specified on the assessment, or for a period of three years from the assessment’s date of issue, whichever occurs first.
    •   if the applicant has obtained the necessary Australian qualificationrelevant to the occupation as listed in ANZSCO, then s/he must provide this as evidence towards meeting the skills requirement.

3. Agreement Stream

The Applicant Might Be Able To Get This Visa Under The Agreement Stream If S/He Is Being Sponsored By An Employer Through A Tailored And Negotiated Labour Agreement. The Employer Can Advise If Such An Agreement Is In Place For The Industry Or Occupation.

The Applicant Must Meet The Age, Skills And English Language Requirements Stated In The Agreement.

English Language Requirements

The Visa Applicant Can Show That S/He Possesses Adequate English Skills By Providing The Following Evidence At The Time Of Application:

• • •   achieving the vocational or competent test scores in a specified English language test, for the Temporary Residence Transition stream or the Direct Entry stream respectively, that has been conducted within three years prior to the date of application lodgement
    •   holding a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland and evidence of citizenship of that country.

Minimum Score For English Language Proficiency Level Across The Various Type Of Test

Health And Character Requirement

The Visa Applicant Must Meet Certain Health Requirements. The Results Of Health Examinations Are Generally Valid For 12 Months. The Visa Applicant Must Meet Certain Character Requirements And Provide A Police Certificate From Each Country S/He Has Lived In For 12 Months Or More During The Past 10 Years After S/He Turned 16 Years Of Age. Health And Character Requirements Applies To The Main Applicant And All The Dependent Family Members Listed In The Application, Whether They Are Migrating Or Not.

Including Family In The Visa Application

The Main Applicant Can Include The Following People In The Visa Application At The Time Of Lodgement:

• • •   Partner
    •   Dependent Children

The Visa Application Must Include Documentary Evidence Of Their Relationship To The Main Applicant And Family Members Must Meet Health And Character Requirements.

What This Visa 187 Lets You Do

This Is A Permanent Residence Visa. It Lets The Visa Holder And Any Family Members Who Have Also Been Granted This Visa To:

• •   stay in Australia indefinitely
  •   work and study in Australia
  •   enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
  •   apply for Australian citizenship (if eligible)
  •   sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
  •   travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted