The regional migration intake has been increased to 25,000.

When program was announced earlier this year, 23,000 places were reserved for migrants to live and work in regional Australia.

Migrants become eligible for permanent residency ff they were to live and work in the regions for at least three years.

Immigration Minister David Coleman said the first three months of this financial year saw 6,000 visas approved under the program.

“So we have seen a very strong start to the year in encouraging regional migration,” Mr Coleman told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.

“We know that in regional Australia, (and) in other small and medium-sized cities, there is a lot of demand for skilled migration,” Mr Coleman said.

The federal government has ruled that Perth and the Gold Coast are no longer classified as major cities under the scheme, “ensuring they remain an attractive destination for skilled migrants and international students”.

The new definition comes into effect from November 16.

Labor says reclassifying the Gold Coast is an “embarrassing backflip” by the government, after having adamantly stated that such a change would not happen.

“Today, they buckled under pressure from Labor, the higher education sector, Study Gold Coast and the Gold Coast Bulletin,” opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally and Labor senator Murray Watt said in a statement.

“Labor supports opportunities for people to settle in regional areas and the government should be doing everything possible to make settling in regional communities an attractive option for potential migrants.”

WA Labor Premier Mark McGowan says including Perth as a regional centre for migration purposes, will enhance the state’s appeal to international students.

“It's bringing Perth into line with Adelaide, Hobart and other regional parts of Australia,” Mr McGowan told reporters in Perth.

But, he said, WA does not have regional universities.

“That means we were at a disadvantage,” the premier said.

The premier claimed the state relies very heavily on international students, being a $2 billion industry and directly creating over 14,000 jobs.