Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)

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Assessing Organisational Capacity To Attract & Retain Migrant Employees

The Regional Skilled Migration Program consists of initiatives to increase skilled and business migration to Victoria, especially in provincial areas, to support growth of sustainable jobs and industries.

Victorian employers may sponsor skilled migrants under a number of visas but the most common sponsorship for skilled migrants into regional employment is the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. This visa provides permanent residency for migrants interested in living in any of Victoria's regions (i.e. outside metropolitan Melbourne). Features of this visa include:

• A two-year employer/employee contract.
• Exemption from work experience requirement.
• Exemptions on age, qualifications and English language, and
• Priority visa processing.

Increasingly, organisations with skill or labour shortages seek to employ skilled migrants. Generally this decision is reached only after exhausting local alternatives. In deciding on this course of action, employers will spend time reflecting on their business objectives and they will use considerable resources in the recruitment process. Recruiting skilled migrants and migrant labour is one solution to skill shortages and labour demand.

To fill a vacancy with a skilled migrant, the employer in Regional Victoria must complete the following steps:

Step 1: Identify a skilled vacancy in their business that cannot be filled locally (i.e. test the local labour market first).

The minimum skill level required to use this scheme is the equivalent of a diploma level qualification. The position must be for at least two years fixed term, supported by a contract signed by the employer and skilled migrant.

Step 2: Obtain and read theDepartment of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) Booklet 5: Employer Sponsored Migration.

Read the RSMS section in DIAC 's Booklet 5, in particular, the section outlining the requirements that must be met by an employer to sponsor a skilled migrant under the RSMS.

Step 3: Complete an online Employer Nomination.

You should complete the online form and attach all supporting documentation required. Employers pay no fee to lodge a sponsorship application.

Step 4: Lodge form 1404 with a Regional Certifying Body (RCB).

For a full list of the gazetted Regional Certifiying Bodies click here. The RCB will certify (sign) or not certify the form and return to you, the employer. Warrnambool City Council is the RCB for the Great South Coast region.

Step 5: Upload the certified form 1404 and documentation with DIAC’s Melbourne Office for further processing.

DIAC Melbourne will inform you of the outcome of your sponsorship application.

Step 6: Inform the skilled migrant to lodge a visa application.

What is workplace diversity?

Diversity refers to the characteristics that show difference in an individual. Recognising individual difference is important in gaining a better understanding of how to manage and promote diversity at work. Major characteristics of diversity:

• Primary personal characteristics eg. race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality and mental and physical ability
• Secondary personal characteristics eg. marital status, educational level, values and beliefs
• Organisation-related characteristics eg. position in hierarchy, tenure and casual/part-time/full-time status.