Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887)
Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887)
Visa Cost
AUD 490
2025-26 financial year (after the roughly 3% CPI increase from 2025-07-01) primary applicant base VAC about AUD 490 (secondary applicants aged 18 and over about AUD 245, under 18 about AUD 125). If a secondary applicant's English is below functional level, a second instalment is payable before grant (about AUD 4,890 per person, waived if already paid for a held 475/487/489/495/496 visa). The live rate on the official site/Visa Pricing Estimator on the day of lodgement applies.
Processing Time
About 18-25 months (90% of applications about 25 months; the queue is long; the live data on the official site prevails)
Eligibility
- Hold or have held an eligible old regional provisional visa: subclass 489, 475, 487, 495 or 496 (some bridging visa situations after applying for those visas may also count)
- Lived in a designated regional area for at least 2 years (while holding an eligible visa)
- Worked full-time in a designated regional area for at least 1 year, at least 35 hours per week
- Be in Australia (onshore) at both application and grant
- Meet health and character requirements; applicants aged 16 and over provide police clearances from relevant countries
- No outstanding debt to the Australian government; no prior cancellation or refusal in Australia (otherwise you may be ineligible)
- No new skills assessment and no points-accruing required; a secondary applicant on a skilled visa can also apply as the primary applicant once eligible
Key Information
Validity / Stay / Residence
Permanent residence, with no stay limit; the travel facility period is 5 years from grant, after which an RRV is required.
Eligible Dependants
Can include the spouse/de facto partner and dependent children to obtain permanent residence together; eligible secondary applicants can also apply separately as a primary applicant.
PR / Permanent Residence Pathway
This visa is permanent residence (PR). It is a regional permanent visa for holders of closed provisional visas such as 489/475/487; permanent residence is obtained on grant; citizenship is possible once residence requirements are met. Note: only existing eligible provisional visa holders can apply, with no new channel.
View provisional-to-permanent transition overview →Application Steps
Confirm eligible provisional visa held
Confirm eligible provisional visa held
Check that you hold one of 489/475/487/495/496 (491/494 should go to 191, not 887).
- Check VEVO/the grant notice to confirm the visa subclass
- Confirm you still meet the visa conditions
- Confirm you are in Australia
Accumulate residence and work evidence
Accumulate residence and work evidence
Meet the requirement of 2 years of residence and 1 year of full-time work (at least 35 hours per week) in a designated regional area, and keep the evidence.
- Lease and bills proving 2 years of residence
- Payslips, contract and an employer letter proving 1 year of full-time work
- Record the periods to ensure they cover the requirement
Complete health and police checks
Complete health and police checks
The whole family completes immigration health examinations and prepares police clearances from all countries of 12-month residence.
- Generate a HAP ID in ImmiAccount to book the health examination
- Notarised Chinese police clearance + AFP (if applicable)
- Meet health and character requirements
Lodge online via ImmiAccount and pay VAC
Lodge online via ImmiAccount and pay VAC
Complete online, upload materials, and pay the primary applicant AUD 490 and family member surcharges.
- Upload the former visa grant notice and residence and work evidence
- Pay and lodge
- After lodgement a bridging visa is obtained if needed
Respond to requests and await grant
Respond to requests and await grant
Cooperate with requests for further documents and checks; on grant you become a permanent resident and the regional restrictions are lifted.
- The queue is long; wait patiently
- If a secondary applicant's English falls short, pay the second instalment
- After grant you can live and work freely anywhere in Australia
Required Documents
| Document Name | English Name | Required | Description | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant notice of eligible provisional visa (489/475/487/495/496) | Grant notice of eligible provisional visa (489/475/487/495/496) | Prove you hold or have held an eligible old regional provisional visa, to verify 887 eligibility. | Confirm it is one of 489/475/487/495/496; holders of 491/494 should apply for 191 instead. | |
| Evidence of 2 years residence in designated area | Evidence of 2 years residence in designated area | Lease, utility bills, bank statements, driver licence, insurance, etc., proving 2 years of residence in a designated regional area. | Covering a continuous 2-year span; the address must be a designated regional postcode, avoiding long gaps. | |
| Evidence of 1 year full-time work (≥35 hrs/week) | Evidence of 1 year full-time work (≥35 hrs/week) | Payslips, employment contract, employer reference, and PAYG/super records, proving full-time work in a regional area for 1 year, at least 35 hours per week. | The work-hours requirement is unique to and mandatory for 887; self-employed applicants provide business evidence such as ABN, BAS and invoices. | |
| ATO Notices of Assessment / payment summaries | ATO Notices of Assessment / payment summaries | Notices of assessment and annual income summaries, cross-corroborated with employment evidence. | Prove you lodged tax as required during the work; downloadable from myGov/ATO. | |
| Passport and identity documents | Passport and identity documents | Valid passport bio-data pages, notarial birth certificates and other identity documents for the whole family. | Chinese documents require NAATI translation; the name must match all previous visas. | |
| Chinese police clearance (notarised & translated) | Chinese police clearance (notarised & translated) | Police clearances from countries where applicants aged 16 and over have lived for a cumulative 12 months in the past 10 years. | A Chinese police clearance issued by a notary office and translated; other countries of residence also require corresponding clearances. | |
| Australian Federal Police check | Australian Federal Police check | Those who have lived in Australia for a cumulative 12 months provide an AFP national police clearance. | Apply online, selecting the migration/residence category as the purpose. | |
| Health examination (HAP ID) | Health examination (HAP ID) | The whole family completes immigration health examinations at a designated panel clinic. | Generate a HAP ID in ImmiAccount, then book. | |
| Partner/children relationship evidence | Partner/children relationship evidence | Marriage certificate, cohabitation evidence, children's birth certificates, etc., to include family members in the application. | De facto partners need 12 months of cohabitation or a registered relationship; documents notarised and translated. | |
| Self-employment / business evidence (if applicable) | Self-employment / business evidence (if applicable) | ABN, BAS, invoices, bank statements, etc., used to meet the regional work requirement through self-employment. | Self-employed applicants must prove the business activity is genuine and meets the full-time hours standard. |
FAQ
Which should I take, 887 or 191?
What exactly are the 887 residence and work requirements?
Why is 887 processing so slow?
What happens if a secondary applicant's English is below functional?
Common Refusal Reasons
- The requirement of 2 years of residence in a designated regional area is not met
- The requirement of 1 year of full-time regional work (at least 35 hours per week) is not met
- Not complying with the visa conditions while holding the provisional visa
- No eligible prior provisional visa (489/475/487, etc.)
- Health or character requirements not met (including family members lacking overseas police clearances)
- Residence/work evidence is insufficient or its genuineness is in doubt
Can you appeal after a refusal? See the Visa Refusal & Review (ART) Guide.