Simplified Definition: Regional Australia by Australian Government

Starting November 2019, the Australian Government is simplifying and expanding the definition of Regional Australia across all skilled visas to include all of Australia except for the following metropolitan areas: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Perth. Most locations of Australia outside major cities—Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth— are eligible for regional visas.

According to the new definition, borders will be single and continuous, as defined by postcodes, around these metropolitan areas. It is expected that more information, and a list of postcodes defining the regional area will be available in due course.

Migrants and employers will be able to access a wider range of occupations as well as receiving priority processing in all areas within the new regional definition as they will have access to the two new skilled regional provisional visas. This new approach is expected to provide consistency across skilled visa programs. It is also expected to make room for more regional businesses to access skills that are currently in short supply through regional migration programs.

To read more on this, please visit https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/regional-migration/eligible-regional-areas