- Migration
- General Skilled Migration Visa
- Skilled Regional Visa - Subclass 887
Skilled Regional Visa - Subclass 887
The skilled regional (subclass 887) visa is a permanent visa for individuals currently holding a temporary visa who have lived and worked in designated regional areas of Australia for at least 2 years, with a minimum of 1 year of employment experience. This visa serves as a pathway to Permanent Residency and can only be applied for while the applicant is in Australia. The main purpose of this visa is to provide opportunities for General Skilled Migration visa holders to apply for a permanent residency visa. It is designed to support the development and growth of regional areas of Australia, by attracting skilled workers to live and work in these areas. The visa holder will be able to live, work and study in Australia on a permanent basis, and also apply for Australian citizenship.
Benefits of Subclass 887 Visa
- The skilled regional (subclass 887) visa allows the holder to stay in Australia permanently.
- The visa holder has the ability to work and study in Australia indefinitely.
- The visa holder is able to enroll in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare.
- Family members and relatives can be sponsored by the 887 visa holder to come to Australia.
- The visa holder is permitted to travel to and from Australia for a period of 5 years.
- Eligible visa holders may become an Australian citizen.
Requirements for Subclass 887 Visa
- The applicant must be in Australia to apply for the visa.
- The applicant must have lived in a regional area of Australia for a minimum of 2 years or have lived in a designated area of Australia if sponsored by a family member.
- The applicant must have at least 12 months of full-time work experience (minimum 35 hours a week) in a relevant field.
- The applicant must meet the health and character requirements set by the Australian government.
- Applicant must have held one of the following visas for a minimum of up to two years before lodging the application:
- Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 489)
- Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 495)
- Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa (subclass 475)
- Skilled Regional Sponsored (subclass 487)
- Bridging visa A, or B
- Incomplete application or missing supporting documents.
- Slow response from the applicant to requests for additional information.
- Time taken to obtain additional information from external agencies (such as health, character, and national security).
- Limited number of places available in the 887 visa migration program.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the 887 visa, you must have lived and worked in regional Australia while holding an eligible provisional visa. You must be inside Australia at the time of application, and all dependents included in the application must also be onshore. The visa emphasises compliance with previous visa situations, ensuring applicants simply contributed to regional communities earlier than in search of everlasting residency.
You must meet all of the following:
- Hold or have held an eligible regional provisional visa.
- lived for a minimum of two years in a recognized regional area.
- Completed 12 months of full-time work (35 hours/week).
- Be inside Australia at time of lodgement.
- Meet health, character and functional English requirements.
Two-Year Residency Requirement
Applicants ought to show evidence of living in a delegated local vicinity for at the very least two years. Designated local regions are defined with the aid of the Australian Government and encompass particular postcodes outside metropolitan hubs consisting of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Your residency needs to be continuous and supported by way of files that surely show your bodily presence in local Australia.
Common accepted documents include:
- Residential lease agreements
- Utility bills (electricity, gas, internet)
- Bank statements showing regional transactions
- Driver’s licence or government correspondence
These information assists reveal lengthy-time period house and compliance with nearby visa situations.
Full-Time Work Requirement
You should have completed at least 12 months of full-time employment in a designated local area. Full-time is defined at the least of 35 hours consistent with week, and your paintings may be made up via multiple employers, so long as the blended hours meet the requirement.
This work can include:
- One full-time role with a single employer
- Multiple part-time roles adding up to 35 hours/week
- Self-employment, if compliant with Australian tax and Fair Work regulations
Some applicants who experienced COVID-19 disruptions can be eligible for precise concessions depending on their painting period and location.
English, Health and Character Requirements
The Subclass 887 visa does not require a new English test in case you previously proven practical English, however applicants without functional English may want to pay the second installment of visa expenses. All candidates aged 18 and above need to sign the Australian Values Statement, confirming their expertise of Australian legal guidelines and cultural values.
Additionally, applicants must:
- Meet standard health examinations
- Obtain valid police clearances
- Have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government
Including Family Members
The 887 visa permits you to encompass eligible participants of your own family unit for your software. This consists of your partner or de facto associate, based children, and sure different dependents who meet immigration standards.
Family members must:
- Be inside Australia at the time of application
- Meet health and character requirements
- Be included before the visa is decided
Once granted, family members receive the same permanent residency rights as the main applicant.
Application Fee and Processing Times
As of 2025, the base application fee for the Subclass 887 visa is approximately AUD 505, with extra fees for secondary applicants. Applicants without practical English can be required to pay the second VAC. Processing instances range relying on demand, document completeness and case complexity. Many applicants can count on processing periods of 21 to 22 months, even though cases regarding concessions or incomplete evidence might also take longer.
Visa Outcome and Travel Rights
The Subclass 887 visa grants permanent residency from the approval date, providing full painting rights, Medicare get right of entry to and eligibility for Australian citizenship as soon as residency requirements are met. The visa comes with a five-year travel facility, allowing limitless tours in and out of Australia throughout that length. After the travel facility expires, you may need to apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) to re-enter Australia while preserving everlasting residency popularity.
Why Choose Think Higher Consultants?
Think Higher Consultants has a sizable revel in helping skilled migrants transitioning from provisional to permanent visas. We ensure your residency evidence, work documentation and eligibility criteria are completely met earlier than lodgement, minimising delays and improving your possibilities of approval. Our distinct steerage simplifies the whole 887 system, imparting customized guidance at each stage. Think Higher Consultants: The Best Education and Migration Consultants in Australia.
