LIN 19/051 (Specification of Regional Areas 2019) is the legislative instrument that defines which parts of Australia are "regional" for migration visa purposes. The definition of regional area is critical for the Subclass 491 visa, the Subclass 494 visa, and visa condition condition 8557 (requiring holders to live and work in a regional area).

Under LIN 19/051, "regional" is defined as all of Australia except the major metropolitan areas. The instrument specifies which postcodes are excluded from the regional definition.

LIN 19/051 is made by the Minister under regulation 1.15M of the Migration Regulations 1994. It commenced 16 November 2019, replacing an earlier instrument. It is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation and is subject to parliamentary disallowance. The instrument was amended in 2021 and 2022 to adjust postcode boundaries following changes to urban growth areas.

The instrument specifies the postcodes that are not regional — everything else is regional. The excluded (non-regional) areas are:

• New South Wales: Sydney metropolitan area (including greater western Sydney) and the surrounding region up to Newcastle and Wollongong. Specific postcode ranges are listed in the instrument.
• Victoria: Melbourne metropolitan area and the inner Geelong corridor.
• Queensland: Brisbane metropolitan area and the Gold Coast.
• Western Australia: Perth metropolitan area.

Notably, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra and all of the ACT are defined as regional under LIN 19/051 — despite their size. This is deliberate policy to attract skilled migration to these cities to support their growth.

For holders of the Subclass 491 and 494 visas who are subject to condition 8557, the obligation is to both reside and work in a regional area. Living in a non-regional area while working in a regional area (or vice versa) does not satisfy the condition. The condition must be maintained for the full provisional visa period as a prerequisite for the Subclass 191 permanent pathway.

Jobs and Skills Australia periodically reviews the regional area definitions to ensure they remain consistent with labour market policy objectives. Changes to the instrument can affect existing visa holders' ability to meet their residency conditions — if a postcode transitions from non-regional to regional, that does not affect the obligations of holders whose visa condition was set before the change.