If you’ve been residing and working in designated regions of Australia and aspire to pave your way to permanent residency, the skilled regional visa subclass 887 presents you with the chance to establish a permanent home in Australia. Let’s look at what this visa has to offer you and what makes you eligible to apply for it.

What is the Skilled Regional Visa Subclass 887 all about?

The skilled regional visa subclass 887 is for visa holders who have already been living and working in specific regional areas of Australia. Their visas render them eligible to apply for the skilled regional visa subclass 887. Before we dive into knowing which visas hold one eligible for applying for subclass 887, let’s first explore its features.

• You can study, work, and live indefinitely in Australia.

• You can access Australia’s Medicare System (healthcare scheme) for medical-related reasons.

• You get to sponsor and bring eligible family members to come to Australia. The visa they will need to apply for will depend on their purpose in coming to Australia. For instance, you may want a family member to live permanently with you, in which case one can apply for Family-stream permanent residence visas. Another instance is if you want your family member to simply visit Australia then they can apply for a tourist stream visa, e-visitor, sponsored family stream visa, etc. depending on specific conditions.

• You can travel in and out of Australia for five years after being granted this visa. If you need to travel outside of Australia after those five years, you will need to apply for a Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclass 155 or 157) to be able to return to Australia.

• This visa also allows you to apply for citizenship in Australia based on eligibility criteria. You can become an Australian citizen by conferral or descent. Again, these hold certain eligibility criteria that you must meet. For instance, the visa holder must be a permanent resident or a New Zealand Special Category visa holder. They must meet specific conditions mentioned in the general residence requirements. Reach out to our expert counsellors if you wish to know about applying for citizenship in Australia. 

Here’s a special note for New Zealand passport holders regarding clearance at the border. Inform the immigration officer that you have a skilled regional visa subclass 887 and do not want a Special Category Visa (SCV) Subclass 444. This is so that you are not granted a subclass 444 that will cease your permanent visa. The SCV visa allows you to enter Australia to visit, work, or study as long as you remain a New Zealand citizen. It also allows you to apply for a permanent visa if you meet the eligibility criteria. However, if you hold a skilled regional visa subclass 887 but are also granted the SCV subclass 444 at the border, your permanent visa won’t hold you eligible to apply for Australian citizenship.

The skilled regional visa subclass 887 costs AUD 465 for the primary applicant. Additional charges apply for adding an eligible family member that if granted will amount to AUD 4,890. You may have to incur other costs as well, including biometrics, obtaining police certificates, and health checks.

You can apply for subclass 887 in or outside of Australia and even when the decision is being made regarding your application. However, you must be in Australia during the immigration clearance process. Also, to understand the 887-visa processing time, refer to the visa processing time guide tool which will show you the time taken to process recently applied subclass 887 applications.

The 887-visa processing time is based on:

• Whether a complete application was lodged, including the submission of all the supporting documents
• Whether your response time is quick to any requests for additional information.
• The time it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information you provided.
• The time it may take to receive additional information, especially if they are needed from external agencies. This can be related to requirements for health, character, and national security.
• The availability of places in the migration program.

Are you eligible for a skilled regional visa subclass 887?

The Skilled Regional Visa Subclass 887 is not the first visa you get to apply for to work, study, or live in Australia. You should hold an eligible visa that opens a pathway for you to apply for the subclass 887 visa. Let’s explore the criteria that make you eligible for a skilled regional visa subclass 887.

Criteria	Description
Hold an eligible visa for a total of 2 years before making a subclass 887 application	The eligible visas include the following subclasses: 489, 495, 496, 475, or 487 visas, or Typically, you must apply for the subclass 887 visa while you are in Australia. However, if you are not in Australia, you can apply for a bridging visa. Alternatively, if you applied for visas 489, 495, or 487 but did not get through, you can try applying for the bridging visa. A Bridging visa, namely Bridging Visa A or Bridging Visa B. This applies after making a valid application for a subclass 489, 495, or 487 visa.
Meet the residence criteria of living two years in Australia	While applying for the subclass 887 visa, the applicant should have lived in Australia for a total of 2 years. This applicant should have held one or more eligible visas in a regional or designated area of Australia. For the regional area or low-population growth metropolitan area, the state or territory government would have nominated you to enable you to live in that area. The designated area includes a condition that you were sponsored by a family member.
Meet the full-time work criteria of a minimum of 12 months	You should have worked full-time for at least 12 months while holding an eligible visa. Your work or job existed in a regional or low-population growth metropolitan area where you were nominated by the state or territory government to work in that area. The designated area includes a condition that you were sponsored by a family member.
Complied with conditions concerning your eligible visa	To be eligible for the subclass 887 visa, you must make sure to comply with the conditions that apply to the eligible visas in the two years that you lived in Australia.
Meet the English language requirements	You should have functional English. Alternatively, you should have paid the second instalment of the visa application charge for your eligible visa, or when asked for it.
Meet health requirements	You may have already undertaken a health examination while you applied for the eligible visa. So, in most cases, you may not be asked to provide the same again.
Meet the character requirements	You and your family members applying for the subclass 887 visa must meet the standard Australian character requirements. This applies even to the family members who won’t be accompanying you to Australia.

 

Feel free to reach out to our counsellors for more information on your suitability to apply for a skilled regional visa subclass 887 at Expert Education.

FAQs

• My spouse satisfied the primary criteria of holding an eligible visa for at least two years in Australia. Does this make me eligible to apply for a skilled regional visa subclass 887?

Yes, the eligible visa is also granted to those whose spouse or de facto partner has fulfilled this primary criterion of holding the eligible visas, that is the 489, 495, 496, 475, or 487 visas for at least two years in Australia.

• I lived in a metropolitan city in Australia for two years. Am I still eligible to apply for a skilled regional visa subclass 887?

If you were nominated by a state or territory government of a low-population growth metropolitan area, and you lived in that area for two years, then you are eligible to apply for subclass 887.

• How many hours am I permitted to work while on an eligible visa for two years before I can apply for a subclass 887 visa?

You have to work full-time which means 35 hours per week. You may also combine work with part-time employment to meet the work requirement. You may be permitted to work in your nominated or any other occupation.

• In what circumstances can my application for the subclass 887 visa get rejected?

Your visa application can be rejected if you do not meet the eligibility criteria. Secondly, if you have previously had a cancelled or refused visa, your application is most likely to get rejected.

• Is 887 a permanent resident visa?

The Skilled Regional Visa Subclass 887 is a permanent resident visa as it allows you to stay permanently in Australia.