The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme helps businesses in regional, remote or low population growth areas, outside major metropolitan centres recruit skilled workers to fill positions that are cannot be filled from the local labour market. A key difference between the RSMS and the ENS (Employer Nomination Scheme) is that the RSMS will allow employers to select any occupation with an ANZSCO skill level 1 – 3.Please see here for this full list of ANZSCO occupations. The visa is for skilled workers outside Australia or skilled temporary residents who live and work in regional Australia. For the purposes of the visa all of Western Australia is considered a regional area. In the same manner as the Employer Nominated Scheme, it consists of a single visa that is divided into three streams:
The Temporary Residence Transition stream is for those who have been 457 holders and have worked for their employer for at least the last 2 years, where the employer wants to offer them a permanent position in that same occupation. Those aiming to migrate through the Temporary Residence Transition stream are no longer required to undertake a skills assessment as they are considered to have had their skills evidenced through the two years working in the occupation on their 457.
The Direct Entry stream is for people who are either untested in the Australian Labour market and are applying for an ENS visa from outside Australia or for people who are applying from within Australia but are not eligible for the Temporary Residence Transition stream.
The Agreement Stream is for people who are being sponsored by an employer through a labour agreement or regional migration agreement.
For more information on this visa, please contact us, or see the appropriate page on the website of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship here
