Commonwealth legislation

Migration Regulations 1994 - Specification of Designated Areas - IMMI 11/063

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Collection

legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

2/10 complexity

This instrument defines which parts of Australia count as "designated areas" for employer sponsorship purposes under migration law.

What it does:

Lists the specific postcodes and territories that qualify as regional areas
Allows employers in these areas to sponsor skilled workers under special regional visa programs (such as the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme)

Where it applies:

All of: Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia
Parts of NSW: Postcodes outside Sydney, Newcastle, and Wollongong (specifically 2311–2312, 2328–2333, 2336–2490, 2535–2551, 2575–2739, and 2787–2898)
Parts of Queensland: Postcodes outside Brisbane metro (specifically 4019–4028, 4037–4050, 4079–4100, 4114, 4118, 4124–4150, 4158–4168, and 4180–4899)

Why it matters: Employers in these designated areas can access regional migration benefits—often including faster visa processing and easier pathways to permanent residency for sponsored workers. Employers in Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, and Brisbane cannot use these arrangements.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Migration Regulations 1994 - Specification of Designated Areas - IMMI 11/063.

Migration Regulations 1994

DESIGNATED AREAS

(ITEM 6701 OF SCHEDULE 6)

I, CHRIS BOWEN, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, acting pursuant to item 6701 of Schedule 6 to the Migration Regulations 1994 (‘the Regulations’):

(1) REVOKE Instrument number IMMI 07/060 signed on 28 August 2007, that specifies areas as designated areas for the purpose of item 6701 of Schedule 6 to those Regulations; and

(2) SPECIFY the areas listed in the Schedule to this Instrument as designated areas for the purpose of item 6701 of Schedule 6 to those Regulations.

This Instrument, IMMI 11/063, commences on 12 September 2011.

Dated 29 August 2011

CHRIS BOWEN

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship

[NOTE 1: Item 6701 of Schedule 6 provides that a sponsor must be resident in one or more of the designated areas specified in an instrument in writing for the purpose of this item.]

SCHEDULE

Designated Area Postcodes inclusive

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY entire Territory

NEW SOUTH WALES (except Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong) 2311 to 2312

2328 to 2333

2336 to 2490

2535 to 2551

2575 to 2739

2787 to 2898

NORTHERN TERRITORY entire Territory

QUEENSLAND (except Brisbane metropolitan area) 4019 to 4028

4037 to 4050

4079 to 4100

4114

4118

4124 to 4150

4158 to 4168

4180 to 4899

SOUTH AUSTRALIA entire State

TASMANIA entire State

VICTORIA entire State

WESTERN AUSTRALIA entire State

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

Migration Regulations 1994 Migration Regulations 1994