Designated regional areas

Designated regional areas

Starting from 16 November 2019, the definition of a regional area will exclude Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Importantly, Perth and the Gold Coast are now classified as regional areas. The updated list of regional areas includes:

  • Perth
  • Gold Coast
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Lake Macquarie
  • Illawarra
  • Geelong
  • Newcastle
  • Wollongong
  • Adelaide
  • Hobart
  • Canberra

The Department of Home Affairs has released the list of postcodes considered regional for the following Australian visas lodged on or after 16 November 2019:

  • Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
  • Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa
  • Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa
  • Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
  • Subclass 482 Temporary Skills Shortage visa

Regional areas are divided into three categories, offering incentives for skilled migrants who move to locations classified under Category 2 ‘Cities and Major Regional centers’ or Category 3 ‘Regional centers and Other Regional Areas’.

Category 2 – ‘Cities and Major Regional centers’: Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong, and Hobart.

Category 3 – ‘Regional centers and Other Regional Areas’: Includes designated regional area postcodes as listed in the table below.

Regional Postcodes

  • New South Wales
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: 2259, 2264 to 2308, 2500 to 2526, 2528 to 2535, 2574
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: 2250 to 2258, 2260 to 2263, 2311 to 2490, 2527, 2536 to 2551, 2575 to 2739, 2753 to 2754, 2756 to 2758, 2773 to 2898
  • Victoria
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: 3211 to 3232, 3235, 3240, 3328, 3330 to 3333, 3340, 3342
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: 3097 to 3099, 3139, 3233 to 3234, 3236 to 3239, 3241 to 3325, 3329, 3334, 3341, 3345 to 3424, 3430 to 3799, 3809 to 3909, 3912 to 3971, 3978 to 3996
  • Queensland
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: 4207 to 4275, 4517 to 4519, 4550 to 4551, 4553 to 4562, 4564 to 4569, 4571 to 4575
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: 4124 to 4125, 4133, 4183 to 4184, 4280 to 4287, 4306 to 4498, 4507, 4552, 4563, 4570, 4580 to 4895
  • Western Australia
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: 6000 to 6038, 6050 to 6083, 6090 to 6182, 6208 to 6211, 6214, 6556 to 6558
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: All postcodes in Western Australia not mentioned above
  • South Australia
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: 5000 to 5171, 5173 to 5174, 5231 to 5235, 5240 to 5252, 5351, 5950 to 5960
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: All postcodes in South Australia not mentioned above
  • Tasmania
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: 7000, 7004 to 7026, 7030 to 7109, 7140 to 7151, 7170 to 7177
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: All postcodes in Tasmania not mentioned above
  • Australian Capital Territory
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: All postcodes in the ACT
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: None
  • Northern Territory
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: None
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: All postcodes in the NT
  • Norfolk Island
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: None
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: All postcodes in Norfolk Island
  • Other Territories
    • Cities and Major Regional centers: None
    • Regional centers and Other Regional Areas: All postcodes in a Territory other than the ACT, NT, or Norfolk Island

The regional definition includes three categories, each offering different incentives for skilled migrants who move to designated areas. These categories are:

Category 2 – ‘Cities and Major Regional centers’: This category includes Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong, and Hobart. Incentives for migrants in these cities and centers are:

  • Priority processing of regional visas
  • Access to the Regional Occupations List, which includes more job opportunities than non-regional lists
  • International graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regional campus of a registered institution are eligible for an additional year in Australia on a post-study work visa

Category 3 – ‘Regional centers and Other Regional Areas’: This category provides:

  • Access to 11,200 dedicated regional places
  • Priority processing of regional visas
  • Access to the Regional Occupations List
  • International graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regional campus of a registered institution are eligible for an additional 2 years in Australia on a post-study work visa
  • Priority in negotiating region-specific Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs)