COVID-19 concessions are available to assist subclass 887 visa applicants with their regional residency requirements.

The concessions are available to eligible applicants that have lived in a specified regional area for six months (the residence concession) and worked full-time in a specified regional area for three months (the employment concession). These applicants can lodge their visa application outside Australia during the concession period and be granted the visa while they are outside Australia.

These concessions will assist eligible prospective Skilled – Regional (subclass 887) visa applicants who have lodged their subclass 887 visa application on or after 19 September 2020 and during the ‘concession period’ (or within 3 months after the end of the concession period, if the visa applicant is in Australia). The concession period commenced on 1 February 2020, and will continue until a date to be specified .

These applicants are not eligible for the residence concession. 

Eligibility for the employment and residence concessions for subclass 887 visa applicants
Location Employment  concession (3 months) Residence concession (6 months)
Onshore lodgement Yes No
Offshore lodgement Yes Yes

All subclass 887 visa applicants will be required to provide evidence that, prior to the lodgement of their application, they satisfied the remaining employment (evidence of at least nine months full-time work in a specified regional area) and residence requirements (evidence of at least 18 months residence in a specified regional area).

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-regional-887