Gold Coast: designated regional area status for visas
Updated
Key facts
- Home Affairs category
- Category 2, 'Cities and Major Regional Centres'
- Counts for the 491 and 494
- Yes
- Points for a 491 nomination or sponsorship
- 15
- Points for study completed here
- 5, with the Australian study requirement
- Extra 485 time (regional campus graduates)
- 1 additional year (bachelor or higher)
- Other incentives Home Affairs lists
- Priority processing of regional visas; access to the Regional Occupations List
State nomination
Gold Coast is in Queensland, which decides whom it nominates for the 190 and 491 against its own criteria, published on its official skilled nomination page.
Visas this affects
Checking an exact address
Home Affairs defines designated regional areas by postcode. Its postcode list is the source for any address.
Other cities in the same category
Yes. The Gold Coast is a designated regional area for migration: Home Affairs lists it in Category 2, 'Cities and Major Regional Centres', so it counts for the 491 and 494 visas.
What it means for each visa
| Visa | In The Gold Coast |
|---|---|
| 491 Skilled Work Regional | Counts as a designated regional area. 15 points for nomination or sponsorship |
| 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional | Counts as a designated regional area |
| 189 and 190 | 5 points for study completed here (with the Australian study requirement) |
| 186 Employer Nomination Scheme | Nomination fee waived for regional positions |
| 485 Temporary Graduate | 1 extra year for bachelor or higher graduates of a regional campus |
Home Affairs also lists priority processing of regional visas and access to the Regional Occupations List for Category 2 areas.
State nomination
The Gold Coast is in Queensland. Queensland decides whom it nominates for the 190 and 491, against its own criteria and occupation list. See the Queensland page on Settledin and its official skilled nomination page.
Living in The Gold Coast
Checking an exact address
Home Affairs defines designated regional areas by postcode. Its designated regional areas page has the postcode list.
Common questions
Is the Gold Coast regional for the 491 visa?
Yes. Home Affairs lists the Gold Coast as a Category 2 'Cities and Major Regional Centre' in its designated regional areas, so living and working there meets the 491's regional requirement.
Is the Gold Coast regional for the 494 visa?
Yes. The 494 uses the same designated regional areas, and the Gold Coast is in Category 2.
Do I get regional points for studying in the Gold Coast?
Home Affairs gives 5 points for study completed in a designated regional area, if the Australian study requirement is met. It applies to the 189, 190 and 491 points tests.
Can I get extra time on the 485 after studying in the Gold Coast?
Home Affairs says graduates with a bachelor or higher qualification from a regional campus of a registered institution in a Category 2 area can access 1 additional year on a post-study work visa.
Which state nominates for the Gold Coast?
Queensland. It sets its own criteria for the 190 and 491; its official page is linked on this page.
Is the 186 nomination fee waived for jobs in the Gold Coast?
Home Affairs says the 186 nomination fee is waived if the position is located in regional Australia. Check the postcode list for the exact address.