Designated Regional Areas Australia — Visa Guide (2026)
What Are Designated Regional Areas in Australia for Visa Purposes?
For Australian visa purposes, regional areas cover any location in Australia excluding Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. This definition has applied since 16 November 2019.
An important distinction many applicants miss: Perth and the Gold Coast are classified as regional — along with the Sunshine Coast, Lake Macquarie, Illawarra, Geelong, Newcastle, Wollongong, Adelaide, Hobart and Canberra. Living and working in these cities qualifies you for regional visa incentives under the regional areas Australia for visa framework.
Which Australian Visas Use the Designated Regional Area Definition?
The Department of Home Affairs applies the designated regional areas Australia postcode list to all of the following visas lodged on or after 16 November 2019:
Skilled (Points-tested) visas:
Employer sponsored visas:
The designated regional areas Australia framework divides all Australian locations into three categories. Only Categories 2 and 3 attract regional visa incentives for skilled migrants:
- Category 1 — Major Cities (no regional incentives): Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — these cities are not designated regional areas and carry no regional visa incentives.
- Category 2 — Cities and Major Regional Centres (regional incentives apply): Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart
- Category 3 — Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas (strongest regional incentives): All other regional locations not listed in Category 1 or 2 — see the full postcode table below.
Category 1 (red) = no regional incentives.
Category 2 (yellow) = regional incentives.
Category 3 (green) = strongest regional incentives including access to 25,000 dedicated regional places, DAMA priority and additional post-study work visa years.
Regional Postcodes — Designated Regional Areas by State and Territory
Use this table to check whether your residential address or job location qualifies as a designated regional area for Australian visa purposes. Your postcode determines your category (2 or 3) and the incentives available to you. If your postcode does not appear in the table, it falls in the Category 1 (major cities) or check the Department of Home Affairs regional postcodes list directly.
| State or Territory | Category | Postcodes |
| New South Wales | Cities and major regional centres | 2259, 2264 to 2308, 2500 to 2526, 2528 to 2535 and 2574 |
| New South Wales | Regional centres 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 and 2773 to 2898 |
| Victoria | Cities and major regional centres | 3211 to 3232, 3235, 3240, 3328, 3330 to 3333, 3340 and 3342 |
| Victoria | Regional centres 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 and 3978 to 3996 |
| Queensland | Cities and major regional centres | 4207 to 4275, 4517 to 4519, 4550 to 4551, 4553 to 4562, 4564 to 4569 and 4571 to 4575 |
| Queensland | Regional centres and other regional areas | 4124 to 4125, 4133, 4183 to 4184, 4280 to 4287, 4306 to 4498, 4507, 4552, 4563, 4570 and 4580 to 4895 |
| Western Australia | Cities and major regional centres | 6000 to 6038, 6050 to 6083, 6090 to 6182, 6208 to 6211, 6214 and 6556 to 6558 |
| Western Australia | Regional centres and other regional areas | All postcodes in Western Australia not mentioned above |
| South Australia | Cities and major regional centres | 5000 to 5171, 5173 to 5174, 5231 to 5235, 5240 to 5252, 5351 and 5950 to 5960 |
| South Australia | Regional centres and other regional areas | All postcodes in South Australia not mentioned above |
| Tasmania | Cities and major regional centres | 7000, 7004 to 7026, 7030 to 7109, 7140 to 7151 and 7170 to 7177 |
| Tasmania | Regional centres and other regional areas | All postcodes in Tasmania not mentioned above |
| Australian Capital Territory | Cities and major regional centres | All postcodes in the ACT |
| Australian Capital Territory | Regional centres and other regional areas | None |
| Northern Territory | Cities and major regional centres | None |
| Northern Territory | Regional centres and other regional areas | All postcodes in the NT |
| Norfolk Island | Cities and major regional centres | None |
| Norfolk Island | Regional centres and other regional areas | All postcodes in Norfolk Island |
| Other Territories | Cities and major regional centres | None |
| Other Territories | Regional centres and other regional areas | All postcodes in a Territory other than the ACT, NT, or Norfolk Island |
Regional Incentives by Category
Category 2 — Cities and Major Regional Centres receive the following incentives:
- Priority processing of regional visa applications
- Access to the Regional Occupations List — more eligible occupations than the non-regional skilled visa lists
- International graduates with a bachelor degree or higher from a regional campus of a registered institution gain access to 1 additional year on a post-study work visa (485 visa)
Category 3 — Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas receive all Category 2 incentives plus:
- Access to the dedicated 25,000 regional nomination places in the 491 program (updated from the original 11,200 at program launch)
- International graduates with a bachelor degree or higher from a regional campus gain 2 additional years on a post-study work visa (485 visa)
- Priority in negotiating region-specific Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) — giving employers in these areas access to additional occupations and concessions for sponsoring overseas workers
How Designated Regional Areas Affect Your Visa Options
Understanding your regional category directly determines which visas you can apply for and what incentives you receive:
- Category 2 or 3 address — you qualify for the 491 visa (adds 15 points, 5-year provisional) and the 494 visa (employer-sponsored regional)
- Category 3 address — you also qualify for DAMA negotiations and the strongest post-study work visa extensions
- Working in a regional area — your employer may qualify to sponsor you under a DAMA for occupations not on the standard occupation list
- Studying at a regional university — you may qualify for additional 1–2 years on your 485 Post-Higher Education Work Stream visa
The fastest route from a regional visa to permanent residence runs: 491 visa (3 years regional) → 191 Permanent Skilled Regional visa → Australian citizenship after meeting the residency requirement.
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