New South Wales will sponsor applicants with skills required in regional areas of the State under the Skilled Regional Sponsored 475/487 visa program. This visa requires sponsorship from a State Government or a Regional Certifying Body.

For an overview of opportunities in regional NSW click here.

Selection Criteria
To qualify for the Skilled Regional Sponsored Migration visa you must meet several selection criteria including:

• you must be under 45 years of age
• have competent level of English (except trade occupations whose vocational level of English is accepted). For details on International English Language Testing System visit www.ielts.org
• attain 100 points on the DIAC skills test
• be prepared to live and work in regional NSW
• have had your skills assessed by the appropriate Australian assessing authority in the skills or occupations shown below.
  Click here for more details.
  For more information on overseas qualifications and skills recognised in Australia go to www.immi.gov.au/asri

For further details on selection criteria see www.immi.gov.au

Regional Certifying Bodies in New South Wales will consider applications for sponsorship for Skilled Regional Sponsored Migration visas in the skilled occupations in those regions listed below. If you have qualifications recognised in Australia in the listed occupations and are interested in migrating to regional NSW you can apply to the Regional Certifying Bodies shown.

Sponsorship does not guarantee you a job. However, your job prospects in the listed occupations should be good as these skills are in short supply in these regions.

If your skill or occupation is not listed below then please do NOT contact the Regional Certifying Body as they will not sponsor your visa application. This site will be updated periodically with new or additional skills required in regional NSW.

For further information on living in regional NSW see the Regions of NSW section of this website.

Regions inviting applications
The following regions are inviting applications:

• Australian Capital Region
• Northern Inland Region
• Riverina
• Orana
• Central West
• Hunter
• Murray
• Illawarra

Read the summary of Skilled Regional Sponsored occupations.

For more information on living and working in regional NSW click here.

How to Apply

To apply for sponsorship from one of these regions complete NSW Form R and send it with a copy of your skills assessment and application fee to the regional office.

Case Studies

Read case studies of skilled migrants who have successfully settled in regional NSW.

• Jacques Booyens
• Frederick Groenewald
• Mark Scott
• Dan Mahon
• Jonathon Davis
• Pauline Hammans
• John Isbell

English Language Concession

A concession is now available for applicants sponsored by NSW under the Skilled Regional Sponsored visa sub classes 475/487. The concession is available to managers and professionals (ASCO 1-3) with an average International English Language Testing (IELTS) score of 5.5 (0.5 below the required 6.0 score for a competent level of English).

The applicant must meet all the other requirements for the visa, settle in regional NSW and pay to undertake an English language course before being granted a visa.

The concession is available to managers and professionals (ASCO 1-3) with an average International English Language Testing (IELTS) score of 5.5 (0.5 below the required 6.0 score for a competent level of English). It is also available to tradespersons (ASCO 4) who have an average IELTS of 5.5 but who have one or more scores below DIAC's required 5.0.

The NSW Adult Migrant English Service (AMES) can provide the required tuition. The tuition fee is $2,500. For more information on the NSW AMES English language service contact:

Stephen Glassock
Stephen.glassock@det.nsw.gov.au
+61 2 9205 4352

For more information on Skilled Regional Sponsored visa, email bizmigration@business.nsw.gov.au

Paths to permanent residence

The Skilled Regional Sponsored Migration visa is a provisional visa valid for three years.

From 1 September 2007, regional employers can sponsor provisional regional visa holders for permanent residence immediately under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) ie. they do not have to wait for two years on a provisional visa.

From 1 September 2007, provisional regional visa holders who have lived and worked in regional NSW for two years can apply directly to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for a Skilled Regional 887 permanent residence visa.

Provisional regional visa holders who start a business in regional NSW can apply for permanent residence under the Business Owner (Residence) visa program.

For further information please contact:

Lita Aganon
Project Assistant
Tel: +61 2 9338 6692
bizmigration@business.nsw.gov.au