Why a regional city might beat Sydney or Melbourne

Most new arrivals head straight for Sydney or Melbourne. For plenty of people, a regional city would suit them better: less traffic, more space, a community that notices you. And for migration purposes, “regional” covers far more of Australia than you’d think.

What counts as regional (it’s not just the bush)

For migration, the Department of Home Affairs treats most of Australia outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as a designated regional area. It splits regional Australia into two groups:

• Cities and major regional centres: Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, Wollongong and the Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart.
• Regional centres and other regional areas: everywhere else outside the three big cities, from Ballarat, Bendigo and Toowoomba to Townsville, Albury and the country towns in between.

Yes, that means Perth and Adelaide count as regional for migration purposes. Home Affairs publishes the exact postcodes. To compare the capitals themselves, see Australian cities compared.

The visa incentives

The government wants more skilled migrants outside the big three cities, so regional areas come with incentives. According to Home Affairs, these include priority processing of regional visas, access to the Regional Occupations List (which covers more jobs than the lists for the big cities), and extra time on a post-study work visa for international graduates who studied at a regional campus. Some visas, like the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494), are built around living and working in regional Australia.

Regional visas come with conditions about where you live and work, so read them carefully. For which visa suits you, see Australian visas explained and talk to a registered migration agent.

The upside

• Housing. Rent and house prices are often lower than in Sydney and Melbourne, and rentals can be less competitive. It varies a lot from town to town, so check current listings before you decide.
• Time. Shorter commutes mean more of your day is yours.
• Belonging. In a smaller place, people see you at the club, the school gate and the shops. Friendships can form faster, and newcomers are often noticed and welcomed.
• Work. Many regional areas are short of skilled workers, especially in health, trades, agriculture and teaching. The Regional Australia Institute’s Move to More site lists regional jobs and towns.
• The landscape. Beaches, bush, mountains and farmland are on the doorstep, not a weekend drive away.

The trade-offs

• Fewer jobs in some fields. Specialised corporate, tech and creative roles cluster in the big cities. Check the job market for your field before you move.
• Services. Specialists, some hospital services and international flights can be a drive away.
• A car is usually essential. Public transport is limited outside the bigger centres.
• Smaller communities from home. There may be fewer people who share your language, faith or food. Bigger regional cities are often more diverse than people expect.

Questions to ask about any town