Is My City Regional for Migration?

Is Wollongong regional for migration? Yes — Wollongong is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Perth regional for migration? Yes — Yes — Perth is a designated regional area for skilled migration.

Is Newcastle regional for migration? Yes — Newcastle is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Adelaide regional for migration? Yes — Yes — the whole of South Australia, including Adelaide, is regional.

Is Brisbane regional for migration? No — Greater Brisbane is excluded — not a regional area.

Is Canberra regional for migration? Yes — Yes — the whole of the ACT, including Canberra, is regional.

Is Gold Coast regional for migration? Yes — Gold Coast is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Sunshine Coast regional for migration? Yes — Sunshine Coast is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Toowoomba regional for migration? Yes — Toowoomba is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Geelong regional for migration? Yes — Outside Greater Melbourne — a designated regional area.

Is Cairns regional for migration? Yes — Cairns is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Townsville regional for migration? Yes — Townsville is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Bendigo regional for migration? Yes — Bendigo is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Ballarat regional for migration? Yes — Ballarat is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Central Coast regional for migration? Yes — Central Coast is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

Is Hobart regional for migration? Yes — Yes — the whole of Tasmania, including Hobart, is regional.

Is Melbourne regional for migration? No — Greater Melbourne is excluded — not a regional area.

Is Sydney regional for migration? No — Greater Sydney is excluded — not a regional area.

Is Darwin regional for migration? Yes — Yes — the whole of the Northern Territory, including Darwin, is regional.

Is Launceston regional for migration? Yes — Launceston is a designated regional area (outside Greater Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), so it qualifies for the 491, 494 and 191 visas and the regional points and PR pathway.

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How do I know if my city is regional for migration?

For skilled migration, every part of Australia is a designated regional area EXCEPT Greater Sydney, Greater Melbourne and Greater Brisbane. So Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast all count as regional, along with all rural and remote areas. Use the checker above to look up your city, and always confirm your exact workplace postcode against the Department of Home Affairs regional postcode list before relying on it.

Is Perth regional for migration?

Yes. Perth is a designated regional area for skilled migration, even though it is a capital city — the whole of Western Australia is regional. Only Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are excluded. Living and working in Perth can attract the regional concessions, including 15 bonus points on the Subclass 491.

Is the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast regional?

Yes. The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast are both designated regional areas — they sit outside Greater Brisbane. In Queensland, only Greater Brisbane is excluded; the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Townsville and Toowoomba all count as regional.

What are the benefits of living in a regional area?

Regional areas open the Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) and 494 (Employer Sponsored Regional) visas, 15 bonus points on the 491 points test, access to occupations not on the metropolitan lists, and a structured pathway to permanent residence via the Subclass 191 after three years. Some regional areas also have a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) with concessions on salary and English.

Does the checker replace the official postcode list?

No. This is a plain-English guide at the city and town level. Designated regional areas are defined by postcode in a legislative instrument, and boundaries can change. Always verify your exact suburb or workplace postcode against the current list on the Department of Home Affairs website before making a decision.