Best Regional Areas in Australia for 491 Visa Holders

Choosing where to live on a 491 visa is one of the most important decisions you will make. Here are the best options.

What counts as regional

For the 491 visa, “regional” means anywhere except metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. This includes some surprisingly large cities:

• Perth (population 2.1 million) - classified as regional
• Adelaide (population 1.4 million) - classified as regional
• Gold Coast (population 700,000) - classified as regional
• Hobart, Canberra, Darwin - all classified as regional

Top picks by category

Best for career prospects

• Perth - Mining, engineering, and tech sectors. High salaries.
• Adelaide - Defence, space, and health sectors. Growing fast.
• Canberra - Government and IT. Highest average salaries in Australia.

Best for lifestyle

• Gold Coast - Beaches, warm weather, tourism industry.
• Hobart - Clean air, affordable housing, food and wine scene.
• Newcastle - Beach lifestyle, 2 hours from Sydney, growing tech sector.

Best for affordability

• Geelong - Close to Melbourne, significantly cheaper housing.
• Ballarat/Bendigo - Regional Victoria with good amenities.
• Toowoomba - Regional Queensland with very low housing costs.

Best for families

• Canberra - Excellent schools, safe, family-friendly.
• Adelaide - Affordable, good schools, short commutes.
• Sunshine Coast - Outdoor lifestyle, good schools, community feel.

Key considerations

• Job availability in your occupation
• Housing costs and availability
• Schools and childcare (if you have children)
• Community and social connections
• Distance from an international airport

Check state nomination availability for your occupation in each region.