Australia includes Perth and Gold Coast in the “regional areas”

Australia has expanded its regional cities list to include Perth and Gold Coast in it. Among other incentives, international students in these two cities will now become eligible for an additional year on their Post-Study Work Permit.

Perth and Gold Coast will be included in the “regional areas” effective from 16^th November 2019. This leaves Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane as the only cities not classified as “regional” for immigration purposes.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that Australia is trying to use its immigration program to back the regional areas. This will help take the pressure of the population off the major cities. Stronger regional areas mean a stronger economy for the country. The changes will help make many more cities and regional centres more appealing. Such cities and regional areas want to grow their population to support local services like healthcare and schools. It will also help attract more students and workers to the regional areas creating more jobs and more investment.

The education sector of Western Australia and Queensland have welcomed the move.

Phil Payne, CE of StudyPerth, calls the move a”game-changer”. He says it will level the playing field with other cities in Australia and give international students another reason to study in Western Australia.

Alfred Slogrove, CE of Study Gold Coast, says that he is thrilled that good sense prevailed. The move will ensure that the Gold Coast will have greater access to high-skilled workers and a diversified workforce.

International graduates in Gold Coast and Perth will now get an extra year on their PSWP. The Australian Govt. has also announced that those in Darwin and other regional areas will get an additional two years. This means that PhD graduates will effectively get six years on their Post-Study Work Permit.

Despite being included in the regional areas, Perth and Gold Coast will not be eligible for Destination Australia scholarships. Only areas that have been classified by the Australia Bureau of Statistics as “Very Remote Australia” and “Inner Regional Australia” are eligible for the same. So, among all capital cities, only Darwin qualifies for the Destination Australia scholarships as well as two years of PSWP.

Australia has also increased the number of visa spots for regional migration from 23,000 to 25,000. Regional Visa applicants will also be eligible for priority processing.

The following Australian cities will have access to an extra year of Post-Study Work Permit:

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

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