Regional area designations play a vital role in your Australian immigration plans, whether you want to study, work, or migrate there. Many visa applicants don’t realise the importance of these geographical differences and miss great opportunities.
Australian designated regional areas give immigrants special advantages. These include extra points toward permanent residency and longer post-study work rights. You’ll find all the essential information about regional areas, their classifications, and their effects on your visa options in 2025 here.
This guide will help you understand regional immigration pathways better. You’ll learn which cities qualify as regional areas and what benefits each area provides for your specific situation.
What is a Designated Regional Area in Australia?
Australia’s regional areas play a crucial role in the nation’s economic world. These areas generate about 34% of the country’s economic output. Let’s take a closer look at how the Australian Government defines and categorises designated regional areas for immigration.
Definition and purpose of DRAs
A designated regional area (DRA) in Australia covers locations beyond Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane’s metropolitan centres. The Australian Department of Home Affairs created this classification to encourage newcomers to settle in less crowded areas.
DRAs exist to balance population distribution and boost economic growth throughout the country. This approach helps direct migrants away from the three major cities with high population pressure toward other parts of Australia that need skilled workers and more residents.
The regional definition works with two main categories:
- Category 2 – Cities and Major Regional Centres: Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart belong to this group.
- Category 3 – Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas: This category covers all other designated regional areas with specific postcodes across Australian states and territories.
Each category gives different incentives to migrants. Category 3 areas often provide better benefits to attract people to less populated regions.
Why some cities are excluded
Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane don’t qualify as designated regional areas because they’re Australia’s biggest metropolitan centres. These cities already attract many migrants and face population pressure.
The Australian Government leaves out these major cities to create a more balanced population spread. Since November 2019, regional Australia simply means all areas outside Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane for migration purposes.
This exclusion helps tackle infrastructure strain, housing costs, and job competition in these urban centres. The policy also supports growth in other parts of the country.
Is Canberra a regional area?
Canberra qualifies as a regional area for Australian immigration. The capital city sits in Category 2 – ‘Cities and Major Regional Centres’. Skilled migrants moving to Canberra can get certain regional benefits.
The capital’s regional status fits the government’s plan to encourage settlement beyond the three largest cities. The Australian Capital Territory’s postcodes all fall under Category 2.
Is Gold Coast a regional area?
The Gold Coast now counts as a designated regional area after a recent change. This shift came as part of the government’s plan to guide migrants away from Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.
The city belongs to Category 2 – ‘Cities and Major Regional Centres’. This new classification started on November 16, 2019, marking a big change in Australia’s regional immigration policy.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison explained that these changes would “boost the appeal for so many cities and regional centres that want to grow their population to support local services like schools and health care, while attracting new workers and students, meaning more jobs and more investment”.
The new status makes it easier for international students and skilled workers to move to the Gold Coast. They can now get benefits like an extra year on graduate visas and more points in the skilled visa points grid when they study in a regional area.
Understanding the Regional Categories and Postcodes
Australia’s complex regional immigration framework requires you to understand a precise categorization system. This system determines your eligibility and potential benefits. The Australian government classifies different areas according to their regional status.
Category 2 vs Category 3 explained
The regional definition in Australia has a two-tier classification system that offers varied incentives based on location:
Category 2 – Cities and Major Regional Centres has Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart. These areas offer several advantages:
- Priority processing for regional visas
- Access to the Regional Occupations List with more job options than non-regional lists
- International graduates with bachelor or higher qualifications from regional campuses can access an additional year on post-study work visas
Category 3 – Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas has all other designated regional postcodes beyond Category 2 locations. These areas provide better benefits:
- Access to dedicated 11,200 regional migration places
- Priority processing for regional visas
- International graduates can access an additional 2 years on post-study work visas (double the Category 2 benefit)
- Priority in negotiating region-specific Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs)
Category 3 areas provide substantial incentives to attract migrants to less populated regions.
List of designated regional areas by state
Each Australian state and territory has specific postcodes designated as regional areas:
New South Wales:
- Category 2 (Cities and major regional centres): 2259, 2264 to 2308, 2500 to 2526, 2528 to 2535 and 2574
- Category 3 (Regional centres and other areas): 2250 to 2258, 2260 to 2263, 2311 to 2490, 2527, 2536 to 2551, 2575 to 2739, plus others
Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania: Each has clearly defined postcodes for both categories.
Northern Territory: All postcodes fall under Category 3.
Australian Capital Territory: All postcodes are classified as Category 2.
The definition of “regional” from November 2019 excludes Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with Perth and Gold Coast now classified as regional areas.
How to check if your suburb is eligible
You can verify if your location qualifies as a designated regional area through several tools:
The Regional Checker helps you confirm eligibility for regional benefits by entering your current and intended location details. Here’s how to use it:
- Type the postcode or suburb of your existing property
- Select from the pre-filled options that appear
- Enter the postcode or suburb where you intend to settle
- Confirm eligibility status based on the results
Regional area calculators provide more information beyond simple eligibility, such as:
- Median income statistics
- Population size data
- Proximity to capital cities
- Local council information
Your specified work must be completed within an eligible regional Australia postcode area. Work completed in non-eligible areas doesn’t meet regional work requirements, even for employers based in regional postcodes.
The Department of Home Affairs website should be your go-to source for checking current designated regional area postcodes for specific visa types like the 491 visa, as these classifications may change.
How Designated Regional Areas Affect Visa Options
Living in a regional area gives you access to many visa options that aren’t available in big cities. These special immigration paths help people settle outside major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
Designated regional area for 491 visa
The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is the life-blood of Australia’s regional migration strategy. This visa lets skilled migrants live and work in regional areas for up to 5 years. You can qualify in two ways:
- Get a nomination from a State or Territory government, or
- Have an eligible family member sponsor you who already lives in a regional area
Condition 8579 is crucial for this visa as it limits movement to non-regional areas. You must stay within designated regional areas, though you can move between different regional locations.
Other visas impacted: 494, 189, 190, 482
Regional benefits extend to several other visa types:
The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) needs sponsorship from a regional business. This five-year visa creates a path to permanent residency after three years.
Students in regional areas can earn extra points for Skilled Independent (189) and Skilled Nominated (190) visas. The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) also rewards regional positions.
Regional education graduates who stay in these areas can also apply for a second Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).
Extra PR points and post-study work rights
Your chances of getting permanent residency improve when you study and work in regional Australia:
- You get 5 extra points after finishing studies in a designated regional area while living there
- State/Territory government nominations for regional visas add 15 points
Regional campus graduates get better post-study work rights. Category 2 area graduates can work an extra year on their post-study work visa. Category 3 regional area graduates get an even better deal – two more years on their post-study work visa.
Regional visas come with faster processing times and more job options through expanded occupation lists. These perks make regional Australia an attractive choice for migrants looking to become permanent residents.
How to Choose the Right Regional Area for You
Your choice of regional area can shape your entire migration experience. The right location affects everything from job prospects to daily life, so you need to think over several practical factors.
Factors to consider: income, population, proximity
Regional Australia shows notable wage differences across areas. Inner Regional areas pay 8.3% less than the national median. To cite an instance, Inner Regional areas had a median annual wage of AUD 42,736.81 in 2000-01. Each profession earned differently – Professionals topped the list at AUD 65,797.04 while Salespersons earned AUD 30,991.10.
Each region has its own unique mix of people. Inner Regional areas had 25.8% of wage earners between 35-44 years. Regional areas tend to have older residents compared to capital cities. Young people and migrants often move to major cities, which speeds up the ageing process in regional areas.
Your distance from major cities plays a key role in lifestyle and opportunities. Places within 150km of capital cities have grown fast. Ballarat and Bendigo are perfect examples that blend regional benefits with city access.
Is Richmond NSW a regional area?
Richmond NSW (postcode 2753) sits in Category 3 – ‘Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas’ based on Department of Home Affairs rules. This status gives Richmond the best regional benefits, including extra post-study work rights and faster visa processing.
Richmond’s position in the Metro North Region of the Nepean planning area makes it attractive. People can enjoy regional migration benefits while staying close to Sydney.
Comparing lifestyle and job opportunities
Regional areas come with clear lifestyle advantages. Houses cost about 15% less than in major cities. This means your money goes further for both necessities and luxuries.
The job market in regional Australia looks promising:
- Jobs grew faster in regional areas than cities in 2022
- Healthcare, agriculture, education, and trades need workers
- Healthcare and skilled trades often pay well to attract talent
New jobs in Australia pay around AUD 103,324.57 yearly, though this changes by location and industry. Regional areas give you a better balance of work and life. You spend less time commuting, face less traffic, and build stronger community ties. These benefits deserve careful thought when picking your regional area.
Using Tools to Explore Regional Areas
You can easily find the perfect designated regional area thanks to several practical online tools that make it simpler to identify eligible locations in Australia.
How to use postcode search tools
The quickest way to check if a location qualifies as a designated regional area is through official postcode search tools. The Australia Post Postcode Finder is a great way to confirm simple postcode details. Here’s what you need to do:
- Type in the suburb name or postcode you want to check
- Pick from the dropdown options that show up
- Save the postcode to check against regional lists later
The Regional Checker tool goes beyond basic searches and lets potential migrants verify regional eligibility by entering their current location and where they plan to move. This helps you know whether your chosen location qualifies for regional benefits before you decide to relocate.
Understanding the regional area calculator
Designated regional area calculators give you a much more detailed picture than just yes/no answers about eligibility. These specialised tools show you complete profiles that include:
- A full eligibility assessment for regional visas
- The area’s median income statistics
- Population size data
- How close you’ll be to major cities and amenities
Some regional area calculators even help you find eligible areas near your preferred suburb if your first choice doesn’t make the cut. This feature comes in handy when you want to stay close to a non-regional location without losing visa benefits.
Tips for interpreting suburb data
Looking at suburbs through these tools means paying attention to demographic indicators that point to potential growth and opportunities. To get the full picture, you should:
- Look at occupational breakdowns and education levels
- Keep track of rental property trends and mortgage patterns
- Check internal migration patterns (who moves in and out)
- Compare population growth rates to state averages
Census data’s strength lies in its availability down to very small areas, which lets you make detailed comparisons between neighbouring suburbs. The Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Area (RRMA) classification splits Australia into three zones—metropolitan, rural, and remote. This gives you another way to understand the differences between regions.
Conclusion
Australian immigration requires a good grasp of designated regional areas. These regions give you extra permanent residency points and let you work longer after studying. While Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane aren’t included, Categories 2 and 3 have many great spots that welcome skilled migrants.
The benefits of regional areas go well beyond visa perks. You’ll find cheaper housing costs, tight-knit communities, and expanding job markets that make these places a solid alternative to big cities. These regions continue to grow economically, particularly those close to capital cities.
Take your time to research possible destinations properly. You can use postcode search tools and regional calculators to find areas that match what you’re looking for. Your ideal location depends on income levels, population mix, and how far you’ll be from major centres.
Regional immigration needs proper planning and you must follow specific visa rules. You may seek help from registered migration agent since the process might look complicated at first, but living in regional Australia brings real advantages. It offers a better work-life balance and makes it easier to get permanent residency in the long run.