Designated Regional Areas Where Regional Visa Pathways Apply

• +All of Western Australia
• +All of South Australia
• +All of Tasmania
• +All of the Northern Territory
• +All of the Australian Capital Territory (including Canberra)
• +Queensland — all areas except Brisbane metropolitan
• +New South Wales — all areas except the Sydney metropolitan area (Newcastle/Lake Macquarie and Wollongong/Illawarra are regional)
• +Victoria — all areas except Melbourne metropolitan

• -Sydney metropolitan area (NSW)
• -Melbourne metropolitan area (VIC)
• -Brisbane metropolitan area (QLD)

Includes Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart. These locations are designated regional for most skilled and regional visas, but incentives tied to Category 3 (such as DAMA priority and the extra post-study work period) do not automatically apply here.

Smaller regional centres and rural or remote areas. DAMA agreements and the additional post-study work period for international graduates are generally linked to Category 3 postcodes. Always confirm the postcode on the Department's regional areas tool.

State and territory nomination for the subclass 491 adds 15 points to your SkillSelect score. This can be the difference between receiving an invitation and waiting indefinitely in the pool, especially for applicants in the 80-90 point range.

The 494 and some 491 pathways use the Regional Occupation List, which includes occupations not available on the Core Skills Occupation List for the 482. This opens employer-sponsored pathways for some healthcare, trade, and hospitality occupations not available through standard metropolitan sponsorship.

The subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa is available after 3 years of regional living and working on a 491 or 494 visa. This is a direct permanent residence pathway that does not require re-competing in the points system.

Many regional areas have DAMAs — negotiated agreements between regional governments and the Australian Government that allow sponsorship of workers in occupations and at salary levels not available under standard 482 or 186 pathways. DAMAs are particularly used in hospitality, primary industries, and small business.

Students who complete at least two academic years of study at an Australian institution in a designated regional area may be eligible for additional points under the regional study component of the points test. This incentivises regional study as a path to a more competitive EOI score.

Both the 491 and 494 require you to actually live in a designated regional area. This means your primary residence — not just a postal address. Living in a metropolitan area while maintaining a regional mailing address does not satisfy the requirement.

For the 494, you must also work in a designated regional area and for your sponsoring employer. For the 491, you must work in a regional area, but you are not tied to a specific employer. Both visas prohibit relocating your work to an excluded metropolitan area.

To apply for the subclass 191, you must have held your 491 or 494 for at least 3 years, complied with its conditions (including living, working and studying only in a designated regional area) and have ATO notices of assessment for 3 income years.

The 191 requires you to have held your 491 or 494 for 3 years and complied with its conditions - there is no day count, but long absences can raise questions about whether you lived and worked in a regional area. Keep records of your travel. Maintain records of your entries and exits and minimise long overseas stays during the qualifying period.