The two requirements that form the core of most subclass 887 applications are the regional residence requirement and the regional employment requirement.

1. Live in a specified regional area for at least 2 years

You must have lived in a specified regional area of Australia for a total of at least two years while holding one or more eligible regional visas.

For subclass 887 purposes, the relevant regional area is determined according to the particular legacy visa on which your application is based. This means you should not assume that every location currently classified as a regional area for another visa will automatically count for your subclass 887 application.

This is particularly important for subclass 489 holders, because the applicable postcode requirements can differ depending on how and when the 489 visa was granted. The Department maintains separate postcode information for different 489 pathways.

The residence requirement is based on actual residence in the relevant specified regional area, so your residential history should be checked carefully against the applicable postcode rules for your visa. To evidence your residency, you may need to provide lease agreements, utility bills, and bank statements.

2. Work full-time in a specified regional area for at least 1 year

You must also have worked full-time in a specified regional area for a total of at least one year while holding an eligible regional visa.

Your employment does not simply need to be located somewhere that is generally described as “regional Australia”. The work must satisfy the applicable subclass 887 requirements, including the requirement that it was undertaken in a specified regional area relevant to your pathway.

The work requirement is separate from the two-year residence requirement. Therefore, an applicant may have completed two years of regional residence but still need to establish that they completed the required one year of qualifying full-time regional employment.

To Satisfy the requirmeent, you must provide documents covering your full year of regional full-time employment for your 887 visa requirements, which may include:

• Payslips covering the full employment period
• Contracts, tax returns, group certificates and superannuation statements 
• Employment reference letters
• Any other employment documents you provided for your original skills assessment

Note: Partners who hold an eligible skilled regional visa granted as a dependent, who meet all other 887 visa eligibility criteria, can apply for the 887 Visa as the primary applicant.​

COVID-19 concessions

There are also specific legislative concessions for certain applicants affected by the COVID-19 concession period. Depending on the circumstances, the legislation provides for periods outside Australia to be counted towards the residence requirement and can reduce the required period of full-time regional work for eligible applicants. These concessions have specific conditions, including requirements concerning when the application was made.

Because these provisions depend on the applicant’s individual circumstances and the relevant concession period, they should not be treated as a general reduction of the normal 2-year residence and 1-year work requirements.

You and every family member included in your 887 visa application must meet:

• Health: Complete a medical examination conducted by an approved panel physician. 
• Character: Provide an Australian Federal Police (AFP) check and police clearance certificates from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years since turning 16.

Before the Department grants your subclass 887 visa, you must have either fully repaid or entered into a formal repayment arrangement for any outstanding debts to the Australian Government.