Regional migration · Victoria · postcode 3000
Is Melbourne regional for migration?
No. Melbourne (postcode 3000) is inside Greater Melbourne, one of the three metropolitan areas excluded from the designated regional areas. Living or working there does not qualify for the 491, 494 or 191, and does not earn regional points. Greater Melbourne is excluded — not a regional area.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed August 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Regional status
- Not regional — Greater Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3000
- Category
- Excluded metropolitan area
- Visas opened
- Non-regional visas only (189/190/482/186)
- Regional points
- None
Short answer
No — Melbourne is not a designated regional area. Greater Melbourne is excluded — not a regional area. The rule for skilled migration is simple: every postcode in Australia is regional except Greater Sydney, Greater Melbourne and Greater Brisbane. In Victoria that means everything outside Greater Melbourne qualifies, and Melbourne (3000) is inside that boundary.
Why Melbourne does not qualify
Melbourne falls inside the Greater Melbourne postcode band, so time spent living, working or studying there does not count toward the 491, 494 or 191, and does not attract regional points. You can still use the non-regional routes — the 189, 190, 482 and 186 — but they carry higher points cut-offs or stricter sponsorship settings than the regional equivalents.
Other places inside Greater Melbourne that people often assume are regional: Frankston, Dandenong, Werribee, Point Cook, Bundoora, Craigieburn, Tarneit, Cranbourne.
Nearest regional areas to Melbourne
Each of these is a designated regional area in Victoria — a job or study place there changes the visa options completely. Full picture on Regional areas in Victoria.
- Wollert (3750)
- Pakenham (3810)
- Mornington (3931)
- Bacchus Marsh (3340)
- Healesville (3777)
- Geelong (3220)
Check the postcode, not the suburb name
Designated regional areas are defined by postcode ranges in a legislative instrument, and the ranges are reviewed. Melbourne's representative postcode is 3000; if your workplace or campus uses a different postcode, look that one up on the Department of Home Affairs regional postcode list before you sign a lease or accept an offer. The visa condition follows where you actually live, work and study.
Not sure how many points you would have with the regional bonus? Run the points calculator, or check another city with the regional checker.
General information at the city/town level, not migration advice. Regional boundaries are set by legislative instrument and can change — verify the exact postcode with the Department of Home Affairs. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) only after a paid consultation under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
A regional pathway near Melbourne
Melbourne does not qualify, but a move to a regional postcode might change everything. Tell us your occupation and situation and a registered migration agent will come back with an honest read. Free, no obligation.
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Pick a time — no enquiry needed →Questions we get asked first
Is Melbourne a regional area for migration purposes?
No. Melbourne (postcode 3000) is inside Greater Melbourne, one of the three metropolitan areas excluded from the designated regional areas. Living or working there does not qualify for the 491, 494 or 191, and does not earn regional points. Greater Melbourne is excluded — not a regional area.
What is the closest regional area to Melbourne?
The nearest designated regional areas in Victoria include Wollert, Pakenham, Mornington, Bacchus Marsh, Healesville, Geelong. Any postcode outside the Greater Melbourne boundary qualifies, so the practical question is where you can find a job or study place — the visa condition attaches to where you live, work and study, not to where you first applied.
Is the regional status of Melbourne decided by postcode or by council area?
By postcode. Designated regional areas are set out in a legislative instrument that lists postcode ranges (this page reads the Home Affairs list as at 30 August 2026). Melbourne's postcode 3000 falls inside the Greater Melbourne band. Because boundaries can change and outer suburbs can sit either side of a line, always confirm the exact postcode of your workplace or campus against the Department of Home Affairs list before relying on it.
What is the PR pathway from Melbourne?
Because Melbourne is not a designated regional area, the regional PR route (491/494 then the 191) does not run through it. From Melbourne the permanent routes are the points-tested 189 and 190, or employer-sponsored 186 — all with higher cut-offs or stricter settings than the regional equivalents. Relocating to a regional postcode in Victoria reopens the regional pathway.
Does Melbourne give me extra points for the 491?
No. The 491's 15 regional points require nomination or sponsorship tied to a designated regional area, and Melbourne is not one. You would need to relocate to a regional postcode — in Victoria that means anywhere outside Greater Melbourne.
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