Summary

Permanent residence visa. This visa is for employers who want to sponsor employees who are overseas workers for a permanent visa to work in Australia. The employees must be classified as a skilled worker from overseas or skilled temporary resident currently in Australia. To be eligible for the RSMS visa, the employee is required to have qualifications and work experience as specified by ANZSCO for the nominated occupation.

Two entry streams / application methods:

1. Direct Entry Stream (new application)
2. Temporary Residence Transition (for existing 457 visa holders employed for two continuous years by ANU).

Requirements

• University sponsorship is required
• Must be a full time position that is available for a minimum of 2 consecutive years.
• Minimum salary applies
• Occupation and work experience specified by ANZSCO and certified by a Regional Certifying Body
• Meet DIBP's health, character and English requirements (unless exempt)

An Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa is an employer sponsored permanent residency visa for employers wishing to sponsor highly skilled workers in low population and regional areas (such as the ACT) for a minimum of two consecutive years.

Eligibility

This visa is for employees classified as a skilled worker from overseas or skilled temporary residents currently in Australia.

To be eligible for a RSMS sponsorship the position must be:

• full time and available for at least two consecutive years
• classified under an occupation listed in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO code).
• remunerated in accordance with market rates
• certified by a Regional Certifying Body (ACT Government)

Two application pathways

As of One July 2012, there are two streams through which a staff member can be nominated and apply for a subclass 187 RSMS permanent resident visa: 

Direct Entry stream

This is the default application stream for new ANU employees or employees with less than two years’ service at ANU preceding RSMS nomination.  The full nomination and application process is applicable.

Temporary Residence Transition stream

This stream is aimed at existing subclass 457 visa holders who have worked at ANU for the last two consecutive years preceding RSMS nomination and the position is available for at least a further two years and the applicant meet the Department of Immigration & Citizenship's health, English and character requirements. The advantages of this application stream is that the occupation does not need to be certified and less stringent criteria apply to the applicant.