Designated regional areas and postcodes: LIN 22/022

The Migration (Designated regional areas for certain skilled and temporary graduate visas) Instrument (LIN 22/022) 2022 was signed on 17 February 2022 by Alex Hawke, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, under subregulations 1.15M(1) and (2) and 5.19(16), subparagraph 888.226(2)(c)(i) and paragraph 892.213(3)(b) of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994. It commenced on 5 March 2022 (section 2) and repealed the Migration (Regional Areas) Instrument (LIN 20/292) 2020 (section 5). It has not been amended.

The explanatory statement says the purpose of the instrument is to expand the specified parts of Australia by adding postcodes in the local government areas of Moreton Bay and Ipswich, Queensland (paragraph 4), and that the parts specified under subregulation 1.15M(2) are unchanged from LIN 20/292 (paragraph 5).

Designated cities and major regional centres (section 3(1))

Postcodes specified for subregulation 1.15M(1) (LIN 22/022, section 3(1))

State or Territory	Postcodes
New South Wales	2259, 2264 to 2308, 2500 to 2526, 2528 to 2535, 2574
Victoria	3211 to 3232, 3235, 3240, 3328, 3330 to 3333, 3340, 3342
Queensland	4019 to 4022, 4025, 4037, 4074, 4076 to 4078, 4207 to 4275, 4300, 4301, 4303 to 4305, 4500 to 4506, 4508 to 4512, 4514 to 4519, 4521, 4550, 4551, 4553 to 4562, 4564 to 4569, 4571 to 4575
Western Australia	6000 to 6038, 6050 to 6083, 6090 to 6182, 6208 to 6211, 6214, 6556 to 6558
South Australia	5000 to 5171, 5173, 5174, 5231 to 5235, 5240 to 5252, 5351, 5950 to 5960
Tasmania	7000, 7004 to 7026, 7030 to 7109, 7140 to 7151, 7170 to 7177
Australian Capital Territory	All postcodes in the Australian Capital Territory

Regional centres and other regional areas (section 3(2))

Postcodes specified for subregulation 1.15M(2) (LIN 22/022, section 3(2))

State or Territory	Postcodes
New South Wales	2250 to 2258, 2260 to 2263, 2311 to 2490, 2527, 2536 to 2551, 2575 to 2739, 2753, 2754, 2756 to 2758, 2773 to 2898
Victoria	3097 to 3099, 3139, 3233, 3234, 3236 to 3239, 3241 to 3325, 3329, 3334, 3341, 3345 to 3424, 3430 to 3799, 3809 to 3909, 3912 to 3971, 3978 to 3996
Queensland	4124, 4125, 4133, 4183, 4184, 4280 to 4287, 4306 to 4498, 4507, 4552, 4563, 4570, 4580 to 4895
Western Australia	All postcodes in Western Australia not mentioned in subsection (1)
South Australia	All postcodes in South Australia not mentioned in subsection (1)
Tasmania	All postcodes in Tasmania not mentioned in subsection (1)
Northern Territory	All postcodes in the Northern Territory
Norfolk Island	All postcodes in Norfolk Island
Other territories	All postcodes in a Territory other than the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and Norfolk Island

A part of Australia in either table is a designated regional area under the definition in regulation 1.03 (explanatory statement, paragraph 7). Under section 3(3), the postcodes in both tables are also specified for the definition of regional Australia in subregulation 5.19(16), for the residence requirement in subparagraph 888.226(2)(c)(i), and for paragraph 892.213(3)(b). The explanatory statement notes that an applicant receives five points under item 6D101 of Schedule 6D for study in a designated regional area.

Which applications it applies to

Section 4 applies the instrument to any of the following that occur after 5 March 2022:

• a nomination made under paragraph 140GB(1)(b) of the Migration Act 1958;
• an application for approval of a nomination under subregulation 5.19(1);
• an application for a second subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visa in the Post-Study Work stream, or for a subclass 491, 888 or 892 visa;
• a points test assessment under section 93 of the Migration Act 1958;
• the grant of a second subclass 485 visa in the Post-Study Work stream, or of a subclass 489 or 491 visa.