Skilled Regional Visa (Subclass 887)

Features

The 887 visa is a permanent visa (indefinite stay) for people who have lived and worked in specified areas of regional Australia.

Eligibility

You must:

• it is a pathway to Permanent residency (PR) for people who hold a subclass 489, 495, 496, 475 or 487, or a Bridging visa A or B after applying for a subclass 489, 495 or 487 visa
• have lived in a specified regional area of Australia for at least two years
• have worked full time in a specified regional area for at least one year

The Process

Processing Time

• 75% of applications: 24 months
• 90% of applications: 28 months

Processing times may vary.

Eligibility - Current Visa

You must currently hold either:

• a skilled visa
• a Bridging visa A or Bridging visa B that was granted in relation to an application for a subclass 487, 489 or 495
• have worked full time in a specified regional area for at least one year

You must have held a skilled visa at some time for at least two years before you apply for the visa.
Note: Dependents and partners who hold a skilled visa and meet all other eligibility criteria can apply for this subclass 887 visa as the main applicant.

Live and work in Australia

You must have lived and worked in a regional, low-population growth or designated area of Australia.

Health & Character

You must have lived and worked in a regional, low-population growth or designated area of Australia.

Debts

You must have repaid, or have arranged to repay, any outstanding debts to the Australian government.

Cancelled Visas

You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.

What you can do with a 887 visa

This is a permanent visa. It lets you:

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

Location

You must be in Australia when you apply for the visa and when a decision is made.

Family

You can include your partner and your or your partner’s child or step-child in your application. There is eligibility criteria for family members. Family members who are granted the visa have the same rights and can do the same things as you.

Your Obligations

You and your family members must comply with Australian laws and your visa conditions. You can find your visa conditions in VEVO.

Travel

You can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want for five years after the visa is granted.

Checklist for 887 Visa (489 Visa to PR)

• form 80 (complete as detailed as possible)
• Marriage certificate
• Living in s designated area:
• title deeds to your residential property
• leases or rental agreements
• utility bills such as telephone, gas, electricity that show your residential address
• AFP Check

Australian Federal Police checks can now be applied for online. Click here to visit AFP National Police Checks. Further details and explanatory notes can be found at https://www.afp.gov.au/our-services/national-police-checks . When applying, at section 2.3 of the online form under ‘Purpose Type’ select Commonwealth Employment/Purpose’. This will open another drop down box. In the new box use Code 33 for police clearances for immigration/citizenship.

Working requirement (show minimum 1 year)

For Example:

• payslips that cover the period of employment
• contracts, tax returns, group certificates and superannuation documents
• employment references
• any other documents relating to your employment history that you provided for your skills assessment.

Employment references

Employment references must:

• be written on the official letterhead of the employer providing the reference
• clearly show the employer’s full address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail or website addresses on the letterhead
• show, below their signature, the name, position and contact telephone number of the person who signed the reference
• show the exact period of your employment
• whether employment was permanent or temporary, full or part-time
• the position(s) you held and duties undertaken
• your salary

The position should be described according to the nature of the duties undertaken (for example research chemist, accounts clerk). It should not be described in general terms (for example, research officer, public servant).

Self Employment

If you have been self-employed, provide evidence of self-employment:

• audited financial statements for the relevant period
• company registration documents
• taxation documents
• examples of major contracts
• advertising and marketing material
• company profile or prospectus
• memberships of any business or professional associations