Regional Australia for Migration – Categories & Postcode Checker

Postcode checker

Enter an Australian postcode (e.g. 2762, 2300, 6000).

Why regional matters

491 / 494 visas – must live and work in regional areas (→ PR via 191).
+15 points for 491 nomination; +5 points for study in a regional area.
485 – extra 1 year (Category 2) or 2 years (Category 3) for regional graduates.
Regional Occupation List – more occupations available.
Priority processing for regional visas; 186 nomination fee waived for regional positions.

Category 1 – Major cities

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane – not regional.

Category 2 – Cities & major regional centres

Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong, Hobart.

Category 3 – Regional centres & other areas

All other areas, e.g. Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba, Ballarat, Bendigo, Albury, Wagga Wagga, Darwin, Launceston.

Postcodes by state

State	Category 2 – Cities & major regional centres	Category 3 – Regional centres & other areas
NSW	2259, 2264–2308, 2500–2526, 2528–2535, 2574	2250–2258, 2260–2263, 2311–2490, 2527, 2536–2551, 2575–2739, 2753–2754, 2756–2758, 2773–2898
VIC	3211–3232, 3235, 3240, 3328, 3330–3333, 3340, 3342	3097–3099, 3139, 3233–3234, 3236–3239, 3241–3325, 3329, 3334, 3341, 3345–3424, 3430–3799, 3809–3909, 3912–3971, 3978–3996
QLD	4019–4022, 4025, 4037, 4074, 4076–4078, 4207–4275, 4300–4301, 4303–4305, 4500–4506, 4508–4512, 4514–4516, 4517–4519, 4521*, 4550–4551, 4553–4562, 4564–4569, 4571–4575	4124, 4125, 4133, 4183–4184, 4280–4287, 4306–4498, 4507, 4552, 4563, 4570, 4580–4895
WA	6000–6038, 6050–6083, 6090–6182, 6208–6211, 6214, 6556–6558	All other WA postcodes
SA	5000–5171, 5173–5174, 5231–5235, 5240–5252, 5351, 5950–5960	All other SA postcodes
TAS	7000, 7004–7026, 7030–7109, 7140–7151, 7170–7177	All other TAS postcodes
ACT	All ACT postcodes	None
NT	None	All NT postcodes

* Some Queensland postcodes are only partly regional – check the official Home Affairs postcode list ↗. Working Holiday (417/462) “specified work” uses a different postcode list.