Subclass 187 Visa (RSMS)

The Subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa is not a live application pathway for most new applicants in 2026. Its Direct Entry stream closed to new applications on 16 November 2019, when the Department of Home Affairs replaced it with the Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa. Only the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the 187 remains open, and only to a narrow group of existing visa holders.

Australian Shores has prepared 187 TRT nominations and advised applicants on the correct 494 or 191 alternative when the TRT stream does not apply. This page sets out exactly who can still use the 187 in 2026, what it costs, and which visa replaces it for everyone else.

Is the subclass 187 visa still open in 2026?

Partly. The Direct Entry stream, which let a regional employer sponsor a skilled worker straight into permanent residence, has been closed since 16 November 2019. The Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream remains open, but only to applicants who already hold a Subclass 482 or legacy Subclass 457 visa and have worked for their nominating employer in the nominated occupation for the required period.

Stream	Status in 2026	Who it is for
Direct Entry	Closed since 16 November 2019	Not available to new applicants
Temporary Residence Transition (TRT)	Open	Existing 482 or legacy 457 visa holders who meet the work history requirement
Labour Agreement	Open where a labour agreement covers it	Employers with a current labour agreement naming the 187 visa

 

What replaced the subclass 187 visa

The Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa is the direct successor to the 187 Direct Entry stream. It is a temporary visa valid for up to five years, sponsored by a regional employer, and it leads to permanent residence through the Subclass 191 visa once the holder has lived and worked in a designated regional area for at least three years. Reported program settings place the 494 at roughly 10,000 places a year, though the exact figure is set annually and should be confirmed with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.

Direct Entry 187 applicants: what changed

If you would previously have applied under the 187 Direct Entry stream, being sponsored by a regional employer without first holding a 482, your pathway now runs through the 494 first, then the 191 after three years. There is no direct-to-permanent-residence regional employer sponsorship option left for new applicants.

Who can still use the TRT stream

• You currently hold, or most recently held, a Subclass 482 or Subclass 457 visa.
• You have worked full time for your nominating employer, in the occupation nominated on your 482 or 457, for at least the required period, generally three years for the standard TRT test.
• Your nominated occupation appears on the relevant skilled occupation list for your stream, or is named in an applicable labour agreement.
• You meet the age, skills assessment, English language, health and character requirements that apply to your specific stream.

Age limit: applicants must generally be under 45 at the time of application, unless a specific exemption applies. Exemptions include senior academic or scientific and technical specialist nominations, TRT applicants who have earned at least the Fair Work high income threshold each year for three years with their nominating employer, certain medical practitioners, and labour agreements that expressly permit sponsorship over 45.

Current costs and salary thresholds (2026)

Employers sponsoring a 187 TRT nomination must pay the worker at least the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), which applies to both Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (494) and RSMS (187) nominations. The TSMIT was AUD 76,515 for nominations lodged up to 30 June 2026 and rose to approximately AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, under the annual indexation set out in Regulation 5.42A.

Item	Amount (2026)
TSMIT, nominations to 30 June 2026	AUD 76,515 plus superannuation
TSMIT, nominations from 1 July 2026	approximately AUD 79,423 plus superannuation
SAF levy, business turnover under AUD 10 million	AUD 3,000 one-off
SAF levy, business turnover AUD 10 million or more	AUD 5,000 one-off
Visa application charge, main applicant	AUD 4,240
Visa application charge, secondary applicant 18+	AUD 2,060
Visa application charge, secondary applicant under 18	AUD 1,030

These figures change with annual indexation. Confirm the current amount with the Department of Home Affairs or your Australian Shores adviser before lodging.

 

2026 changes to how salary is assessed

From 25 March 2026, the Migration Legislation Amendment (Annual Market Salary Rate) Instrument 2026 gave employers more flexibility in how they calculate the Annual Market Salary Rate for 482, 494, 186 and 187 nominations. Employers can now use alternative evidence, such as comparable Australian employment records or relevant market information, when there is no directly equivalent Australian worker in the business, provided the rate still meets the applicable income threshold. This applies to nominations lodged on or after 25 March 2026, and to earlier nominations not yet decided.

Bringing family on a subclass 187 visa

Principal applicants for a Subclass 187 visa may include a spouse or de facto partner and dependent children in the same application.

Spouse or de facto partner

You must demonstrate a genuine and ongoing relationship. De facto applicants must also show they are not related by family, are mutually committed to a shared life to the exclusion of others, and live together or are not living apart on a permanent basis.

Dependent children

Children under 18 who are not married or in a de facto relationship generally qualify automatically. Children aged 18 to 22 who remain financially dependent on you or your partner can also be included, and children 23 or older may qualify if they cannot support themselves due to a physical or cognitive limitation. Dependency must be met both at application and at decision.

Family members aged 18 and over generally need at least Functional English, or the second instalment of the English language charge applies. All applicants over 16 must provide police clearances for every country lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years, including Australia.

How long a 187 TRT visa takes

Recent processing times for the 187 visa have run at approximately 11 to 17 months from nomination to decision. Processing times vary with application volume and individual circumstances, so treat this as an indicative range rather than a guarantee, and confirm current times on the Department of Home Affairs website.

How Australian Shores helps with a 187 TRT nomination

Our registered migration agents check your visa history against the TRT criteria before you spend time or money on an application that cannot succeed, and map out the 494 to 191 pathway when it is the better fit.

• We confirm whether you qualify for the TRT stream or need the 494 pathway instead.
• We review your employment history and nominated occupation against the current skilled occupation list.
• We prepare and lodge both the nomination and visa application, and manage the two-stage process end to end.
• We calculate the correct TSMIT and SAF levy obligations for your employer.
• We liaise with the Department of Home Affairs on your behalf until a decision is made.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the subclass 187 visa still open in 2026?

Only partly. The Direct Entry stream has been closed since 16 November 2019. The Temporary Residence Transition stream remains open to existing 482 and legacy 457 visa holders who meet the work history requirement, and the Labour Agreement stream remains open where a specific agreement covers it.

What is the difference between the 187 visa and the 494 visa?

The 187 Direct Entry stream offered permanent residence in one step. Its replacement, the Subclass 494, is a temporary five-year regional visa that leads to permanent residence through the Subclass 191 after three years of living and working in a designated regional area.

Can I still apply for the 187 Direct Entry stream?

No. The Direct Entry stream has been closed to new applications since 16 November 2019. If you do not already hold a 482 or legacy 457, the equivalent current pathway is the Subclass 494.

What is the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold for a 187 nomination in 2026?

AUD 76,515 for nominations lodged up to 30 June 2026, rising to approximately AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, plus superannuation. Confirm the exact current figure before lodging, as it is indexed annually.

How long does a 187 visa nomination and application take?

Recent processing has run at approximately 11 to 17 months from nomination to a decision on the visa application, though this varies with individual circumstances and application volume.

What happens to my 187 TRT application if I am over 45?

You generally need to meet an age exemption, such as a senior academic or technical specialist nomination, meeting the Fair Work high income threshold for three years with your nominating employer, or a labour agreement that expressly allows sponsorship over 45. Without an exemption, applicants must be under 45 at the time of application.

Do I need a skills assessment for a 187 TRT nomination?

Generally not if you are applying under the Temporary Residence Transition stream and already hold a positive skills assessment from your original 482 or 457 grant, unless your circumstances have changed. The Direct Entry stream required a skills assessment, but that stream is closed.