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Geelong Regional Certifying Body (RCB)
Employers applying to the Department of Home Affairs to sponsor an overseas professional under the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) or the previous Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (subclass 197) are required to apply for a assessment by a Regional Certifying Body.

The Geelong RCB are transfering the Gippsland RCB role back to a local entity. If you are requiring an assessment for the Gippsland region  please check here for any update before submitting an application.

Gippsland applicants: Please continue to follow Geelong RCB procedures (excluding pre-payment) however please note your application will be forwarded to the Department of Jobs Skills Industry and Regions - Gippsland for assessment.

The Geelong RCB operates as a service to the regions employers who have critical skill shortages that cannot be filled from the local labour market. The Geelong RCB seek to ensure employers with genuine skill shortages have access to the important and limited employer sponsored regional visas. 

  • They actively and lawfully operate a business in Australia and the position is located within a designated regional area
  • Have a genuine need for a paid employee to fill a skilled position
  • Offer a skilled position that is full-time and ongoing with no express exclusion included in the employment contract of this period being extended in future
  • The position must not be able to be filled by an Australian citizen or permanent resident who lives in or would move to the area
  • Meet the Salary and Employment Condition requirements and have the capacity to pay the worker at least the annual market salary rate
  • Wish to fill a position that is an occupation listed on the list of eligible skilled occupations
  • There is no adverse information known about your business or any person associated with your business or it is reasonable to disregard this information
  • The worker holds (or is eligible for) any mandatory registration licence or professional membership
  • They comply with Australian law including in relation to immigration and employment.
  • Overseas migration should only be considered as a last resort and when all other options to attract Australian workers have been exhausted.
  • An employer becomes an approved standard business sponsor with the Department Home Affairs Immigration and Citizenship.
  • An employer lodges a nomination application to the Department Home Affairs Immigration and Citizenship.An assessment by a Regional Certifying Body (RCB) is one step in the process of an Employer Sponsored stream nomination application.
  • The nominee lodges an application to the Department of Home Affairs.
RCBs use local knowledge to provide advice to the Department of Home Affairs regarding positions nominated by eligible employers for the SESR (and RSMS) visas.
RCBs need to be satisfied that:
  • the vacancy is in a designated regional area postcode
  • the position and business is genuine 
  • the identified person would be paid at least the annual market salary rate for the occupation (RSMS and SESR)
  • there is a genuine need for the identified person to be employed in the position under the direct control of the nominator (RSMS)
  • the position could not be filled by an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident who is living in or would move to the local area concerned (RSMS).
The advice provided by a Regional Certifying Body is intended to ensure nominations have been scrutinised by a third party who is familiar with local labour market conditions and who might be able to provide information on regional matters which the Department of Home Affairs may not be aware of. While the information and substantiating evidence provided by an employer will be taken into account when providing advice to the Department of Home Affairs it is the local knowledge of an Regional Certifying Body that is its purpose. The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Direct Entry (DE) is now closed to new applications. The Geelong RCB will continue to assess RSMS applications that were lodged with the Department of Home Affairs before November 2019.
  1. Read all information on this website
  2. Download and complete the current Geelong RCB Application Form and Checklist
  3. Pay the application fee
  4. Submit all documents and evidence to the Geelong RCB
Request a Geelong Regional Certifying Body (RCB) Assessment
Note:
  • When requesting an assessment by the Geelong Regional Certifying Body please read and follow all steps on the Geelong RCB Checklistcarefully as payment ($550 including GST) for an assessment is non refundable.
  • The onus is on the business to provide sufficient information and evidence for the Geelong RCB to assess the employer’s nomination.
  • The Geelong RCB may at its discretion ask you to provide more information to assist in the assessment process.
  • In addition to the documents suggested consideration will be given to any other relevant material submitted with the application.
  • The Geelong RCB uses its knowledge of the local labour market its own research and considers the evidence provided by employers in providing advice to the Department of Home Affairs.
  • Please do not provide us with personal documents about the Applicant that are not related to the nominated position this information is not relevant to this assessment process.
  • The Geelong RCB will assess the documentation provided against the required criteria (above) and complete the Regional Certifying Body Advice Form 1404.
  • Advice will be provided to the the Department of Home Affairs directly and a copy of the completed Form 1404 will be emailed to the employer (or their agent) for inclusion in their Nomination Application with the Department of Home Affairs.
Note:
  • From this point the Geelong RCB is no longer involved in the process.
  • A positive satisfies RCB assessment does not ensure the Department of Home Affairs will approve the Nomination.
  • Similarly a does not satisfy from an RCB does not necessarily mean the Department of Home Affairs will not approve the Nomination. The Minister has the power to determine the outcome of all Nominations regardless of the RCB advice. The RCB advice is only one element within the Minister’s assessment process in considering an employers Nomination. Where a lodged application receives negative RCB advice the Department will provide an opportunity for the nominator to respond to that advice.
  • City of Greater Geelong
  • Surf Coast Shire
  • Borough of Queenscliffe
The Geelong RCB is currently facilitating applications for the Gippsland RCB region that includes the local government areas of:
  • Baw Baw Shire 
  • Bass Shire
  • Cardinia Shire
  • East Gippsland Shire
  • Latrobe City
  • South Gippsland Shire
  • Wellington Shire
  • Eligible postcodes in outer east Melbourne and Mornington Peninsula Shire: see designated regional area postcodes.
There are no appointments to be made with the Geelong RCB All phone callers and visitors will be directed to this website. If you have read all of the information available you can email rcb@geelongcity.vic.gov.au with specific queries.
Regional Certifying Bodies (RCBs) provide advice only to the Department of Home Affairs regarding the nominated position. RCBs make no final decisions and neither approve nor refuse visa applications. Obtaining positive RCB advice does not automatically guarantee that the employer nomination will also be approved by the Department of Home Affairs. If the employer nomination is not approved by the Department contacting the RCB is not the appropriate pathway to seek a review of the Department’s decision. In case of a refusal decision by the Department of Home Affairs the Department will provide the nominating employer or their agent with advice in relation to any appeal rights they may have.