Probably, if you have ever been interested in extending your visa or obtaining permanent residency in Australia, you will have heard about the regional areas Australia, which refer to those areas that the Government has chosen to assign the name of regional areas, these territories in turn have many benefits promoted by the Australian state, with the aim of many more people living in these locations.
Regional Areas in Australia
Similarly, if you want to find information about migration agencies such as Visado Migration Service, we advise you with all the information you require, we are even helpful to guide you in everything related to regional visa procedures in Australia and thus travel easier and faster to this country, without so many complications.
The importance of Regional Areas in Australia and their advantages
These regional areas of Australia have great advantages ideal for those people who wish to settle in that country, such as international students and other citizens of any nationality who are considering the option of opting for regional visas to Australia to achieve residence. With this measure the Government is promoting a campaign with these regional areas where you can enjoy the adventure of studying, working and living in Australia.
In fact, the most important thing about these regional areas is the cost of living, which is much lower, as well as the competition and lower demand. In these regional areas Australia due to its low competition, allows you to receive a higher salary, save much more money, and avoid more expenses than usual, being a great economy for your pocket.
Another important point to consider in the regional areas is that if you are a student and live in one of these locations, your immigration process will have 5 extra points, in addition to the 5 points you get in the 2 years of studies in any field, which will be of great help in the immigration process to qualify for permanent residence.
Advantages of living in regional areas Australia
The different options of the regional areas Australia offer to the immigrants many advantages, in this sense we will talk about the territories corresponding to the category 2 established by the Government, for example: Gold Coast that is perfect for the beach and surf lovers; Adelaide is considered one of the ten best cities in the world to live; while Canberra and Hobart are very beautiful and cozy; another perfect city to get qualified work is Perth and the favorite of some tourists is the region of Sunshine Coast considered a place of hope for the people who decide to travel to Australia.
Below we will show a detailed list of each of the advantages offered by these regional areas Australia of the second category, so that you can select the one that best suits your tastes and needs:
Geelong
In this locality, life in general and monthly expenses will be much more economical, it also has a wider real estate offer and has a much quieter and more comfortable environment.
Wollongong/Illawarra
This city enjoys an excellent quality of life, thanks to its location in a coastal environment, for this reason it is suitable for adventurers and athletes who usually practice some sports on the beaches.
Sunshine Coast
It is a city where outdoor activities can be carried out 365 days a year, and food and rental costs are much cheaper on the Sunshine Coast.
NewCastle/ Lake Macquarie
It is a regional area of Australia with first class services and amenities such as clubs, plazas, restaurants that are close at hand. In an environment that is very quiet and relaxed; in this locality also abounds in vegetation and natural resources, which is why it has better air quality.
Hobart
Whoever lives in this regional area can count on organic food of the best quality, and there you can also see the characteristic wild animals of Australia: kangaroos and Tasmanian devils.
Adelaide
This area is considered one of the quietest, safest and most beautiful cities in the world. Its cost of living is much cheaper than other cities in Australia and offers an excellent quality of life.
Perth
For those people who opt for a qualified job, Perth is a city that has many more job opportunities. It is a big city, but not as crowded as Sydney and Melbourne. It is worth mentioning that Perth has an exuberant beauty, thanks to its nature, surrounded by paradisiacal beaches, natural parks and other beautiful landscapes.
Gold Coast
It is a regional area in Australia considered the favorite of students and tourists who love surfing, in this tourist city jobs are easily created, especially in summer seasons. It is an area that has little traffic and is the perfect place for those people who want peace and quiet.
Canberra
Thanks to its tranquility, it is considered a family city with welcoming and friendly people, it also has different places of interest such as museums and natural parks. In terms of climate, it tends to be an area where it does not rain much.
Other regional areas you can find in Australia
The territories described below are in category 3 of the new program established by the government: Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia.
These areas also have multiple benefits just like other category 2 sites and even the big cities of Australia, such as high level education, better cost of living, pleasant climate, clean and organized transport system, places of interest, natural parks, important fauna and flora of the region; among other things, which are very beneficial for the inhabitants of these areas.
Regional areas of Australia (Northern vs. Southern Territory)
The following is a brief comparison of the regional areas located in the Northern Territory and the Southern Area of Australia, so that you can take into account the benefits offered by both.
Life style
South Australia has an overall population of 1.7 million people and the city of Adelaide in this area ranks fifth in the country’s population with the largest number of residents, the largest city, but is filled with entertainment, culture and many events. This area is home to historic and majestic buildings, it also has an arid and semi-arid climate, it abounds with botanical gardens and parks.
On the other hand, in the northern territory of Australia the climate and landscapes are very different, since it is a sparsely populated population with only 246 thousand inhabitants; its climate in the northern part is tropical, while in the center is desert; in the northern desert area there are two famous natural rock formations of Australia; Uluru and Kata.
In short, the south of Australia offers a relaxed and varied lifestyle, based on cosmopolitan culture, while the northern territory offers a way of life surrounded by a warm climate, exceptional nature and intense culture.
Profesional Career
If you are a person willing to develop your career, the ideal option is the south of Australia, this is because in the last two decades this area has presented a great economic growth and continues to have an optimistic and positive forecast for the following years.
While the north of Australia has abundant natural resources, its economy is based on manufacturing, construction, public services and mining, which is dedicated to oil and energy and employs more than 4,600 people. Another important economic engine of this region is tourism, which includes hotels, accommodation, culture, gastronomy and transportation.
Life cost
However, the average monthly salary in the Northern Territory is AU$4,819, while in South Australia it is AU$4,090, making the cost of living proportional.
What are regional areas in Australia?
These regional areas of Australia are specific geographical areas to which the government of Australia has assigned that name, these areas have certain benefits that in turn are promoted through campaigns, with the aim that more and more people move to these places.
This decision taken by the Government is due to the fact that these areas are suffering an effect contrary to that suffered by large cities such as Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, which are overcrowded; what they really want is that more citizens decide to move and live in these areas, which does not mean that they are depopulated, but if these areas have a higher population index, in the future they would be able to enhance their economic development at all levels.
In general, the cities that everyone knows in Australia are Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. When referring to destinations with opportunities for international students, young people are always interested in these places because they are the most preferred and the most popular.
Also, nowadays there is a growing trend, and statistics show that some cities or regional areas in Australia that have been classified by the Government by categories, are just as attractive and present great advantages, benefits and opportunities for students and anyone who lives in them.
It’s all due to the recent announcement by Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison who listed the cities of Gold Coast and Perth as regional destinations profiled for international students, in addition to the cities: Canberra, Adelaide, Hobart, Newcastle, among others, which have many opportunities for students choosing these destinations.
Like the big cities, the regional areas provide high quality education, skilled employment and lifestyle options similar to those in Australia’s major cities. For example, Australia’s regional areas are also home to the country’s well-respected universities, and the employment sector offers new opportunities due to the growth of these locations by the migrants and university students who now live in these destinations.
In addition, these small cities have the lifestyle advantage of having tourism, infrastructure and facilities without the crowds and congestion of larger cities.
In addition to the benefit of the variety of options available to international students, it also means that these regional cities will grow, directly benefiting the overall Australian economy and the people who choose this option.
What are the regional areas in Australia?
- · New South Wales region except for Sydney.
- · Region of Victoria with the exception of Melbourne.
- · Region of Queensland with the exception of Brisbane.
- · Western Australia region.
- · Region of South Australia including the city of Adelaide.
- · Region of Tasmania.
- · Region of Northern Territory.
Australia is a large country that has a difficult climate in its central part and many locals and migrants have settled on the coasts and have clustered in large cities and uninhabited rural areas.
As well known as the big cities in Australia are, many times they have nothing to offer and do not always have to be the best, that is why moving or relocating to a regional area in Australia will give you many more advantages than any other place in this country.
Therefore, in order to make it a little clearer we will name some of the disadvantages of living in big cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
These areas are classified as category one, they are considered the most popular all over the world, but in addition to providing many advantages, they also have some disadvantages such as high costs that do not provide benefits for future regional visas Australia, for example:
Sydney is a city that has a higher population index, and for this reason it is one of the most expensive in Australia, as for the climate, it has a good temperature, but it rains a lot.
On the other hand, Melbourne always has a crazy weather and for this reason it is called the city of the four seasons in one day; in comparison with other cities, its prices are very high, resulting in a high cost of living and it is true that it has beautiful beaches, but surf lovers will not be able to practice this sport in them.
While among the disadvantages of Brisbane, in terms of climate, it has very hot summers thanks to the humidity of this region; the jobs in this city are less qualified and it is an area that does not have beaches as places of interest.
What are the regional visas in Australia?
An option or alternative for those people who fail to qualify through the Federal Immigration Program to Australia, is to obtain regional visas to Australia.
Australia is one of the countries that attracts the most skilled immigrants, but the central government has developed certain programs in order to redistribute the labor force throughout its territory by creating incentive policies for workers and students to move to these less populated areas.
New Australian visa program
As previously mentioned, Australia attracts skilled workers, but most of them are attracted to large cities and these cities have gradually become more and more populated, to the point of becoming congested.
One way to counteract this effect is the measure taken in 2019 by the Government regarding the creation of regional visa programs Australia in order to bring this skilled immigration to smaller less popular cities, to ensure the development and growth of all involved (students, workers and cities).
It is for this reason that the Government has begun to provide more resources to the regions to facilitate their growth, while stimulating a better distributed immigration over the Australian territory. It is estimated that the nationwide investment of this project will be approximately 75 billion $AUD.
Visa programs currently in force in Australia
The Australian regional visas currently in force are:
- · Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (187): allows workers nominated by their employers to work and live in regions of Australia.
- · Skilled Regional Provisional visa (Skilled Regional Provisional visa, 489): this is a 4-year visa and the holder can only live in certain areas of Australia. It requires sponsorship from a local government or a family member living in a designated area.
- · Regional Skilled Worker Visa (Skilled Regional visa, 887): provides a permanent stay of the previous visa. The main requirement is that the applicant must have stayed in or inhabited the designated region for a minimum of two years and worked for one year on a full-time basis.
- · For 2019, specifically in November, the following provisional programs became effective:
- · Regional Skilled Worker Visa with Employer Sponsorship.
- · Regional Skilled Worker Visa.
Australia as a country to emigrate to
Australia is one of the most successful countries in terms of immigration, but in the last two decades some services and infrastructure have been lagging behind in comparison with the influx that cities such as Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney receive. The most obvious result is an over-demand on public transport and roads that has recently been affecting the population in these large cities.
At the same time, smaller cities need to be populated, which is the main reason why Australia attracts immigrants and often fails to fill the number of job vacancies available, which is estimated at 47,000 vacancies.
For this reason the government has been responsible for creating this wonderful regional visa program Australia, which becomes an option for candidates who do not meet enough points to travel to Australia or do not qualify for the Skilled Immigration Program.
One of the requirements of these programs is the requirement for the immigrant to live for at least three years in one of these regional areas Australia if they wish to opt for a permanent residence, in addition the quota for skilled workers is 23 thousand vacancies.
Migration Agreements for Designated Areas (DAMA)
These new programs were created within the context of the Designated Area Migration Arrangements (DAMA), a special treaty between regional, state and territory authorities and the Commonwealth to facilitate access to more foreign workers through a standard skilled migration program.
Since 2015 the DAMA program has been operational for the Northern Territory, while for the regions of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia, Victoria, Victoria, Regional South Australia, Adelaide and Great South Coast, it became operational from 2019.
With these treaties, special areas have been created to respond to the particular needs of the labor force by accessing specialized labor from abroad, when there is no trained personnel in Australia in certain areas to work in those regions.
In addition, the Government also took other measures related to the decrease in the number of immigrants that will be received in Australia to work, study and live, from 190,000 to 160,000 people.
On the other hand, students, whether Australian or foreign, can opt for scholarships and aid programs to study in institutions in the regional areas of Australia. Scholarships of AU$ 15,000 have been made available for this purpose and will benefit more than 1,000 students per year. In addition, international students studying at regional universities will have the opportunity to opt for an additional year’s stay in Australia, as well as a work visa upon completion of their studies.
