According to a recent announcement made by the Federal Government of Australia, Perth has now been reclassified into a “regional area” for international students. This step has been taken in order to allow international students to experience the multifaceted attractions that Perth has had to offer, be it nature, the variety of events always taking place, and/or the numerous places to visit and activities to partake in. This particular change in government policy, initiated by the Government of WA (Western Australia), puts more focus on the significance that international students have on the culture, diversity and economy of the state that they decide to study in and also recognizes international education to be a priority of the government. International students in Perth can also avail an extended period of post-study work rights after successful completion of their respective degrees. This often means that they should choose to live and work in Perth after they finish their studies, they can positively contribute to the socio-economic development of Perth. The Australian Federal Government has accepted that due to the heavily congested cities of the Eastern states of the country, the infrastructure and services have not had the chance to be developed while keeping pace with population growth, leading to shortages in proper accommodation, chronic traffic congestion and public transport that is constantly overcrowded. Not only is Perth devoid of all of these problems, but a number of key investments are being made all over Perth to bring it up to par with the metropolitan cities of Australia. There is far more scenic beauty in and around Perth, be it the many golden beaches lining the coast (there are at least 19 that are very close to the city centre); the lakes or parks and gardens that are there for you to enjoy whenever you need to relax. Also, it is closer to Bali than it is to Canberra, which means that international students in Perth could easily take a trip to Bali to take some time off from the strict study lives they lead. Even aside from the beaches, Perth has a lot more sunshine than many of the major cities in Australia, so international students can take full advantage of more daytime hours to soak up socio-cultural experiences in their leisure time. The diversity of wildlife is also something that may excite many: Perth is native to the quokkas, marsupials that are a cross between koalas and kangaroos, and are just some of the cutest creatures on the entire planet. These animals live on Rottnest Island situated close to Perth, which is also known as a premium destination for marine activities like scuba diving, snorkeling and surfing. If you like animals, then there are many other places where you can find your inner peace. For instance, if you visit the Perth Zoo, Penguin Island or the Aquarium of Western Australia—which are just a few more of the tourist attractions where international students can encounter a plethora of animals; you can sometimes find different creatures in their natural habitat. There are quite a few amazing man-made historic places open for everyone to visit; should international students be interested to learn more about the history of Perth. While Fremantle prison has exhibits on prison life in the early days of Australia, the Fremantle markets boast the best and freshest seasonal produce from the area. The Perth Mint is the only precious metals refinery you can find in Australia; AND it has the world’s biggest collection of solid gold bars, which is no doubt very impressive. There you can not only see solid gold bars being formed from liquid gold, but can also step on scales to find out how much your weight in gold would be! Meanwhile, there is also the Bell Tower; where you can either listen to the bells being rung, or try your hand at ringing the centuries-old bells yourselves! The city of Perth is also unique in that it has the ability and the desire to develop further and wants to openly usher in more international students; especially those who are actively looking for a top-notch education in a global city. The announcement from the Federal Government is undoubtedly amazing news for students from all around the world who are looking forward to learning, living and eventually launching their careers in Western Australia (mainly in Perth). Thanks to the new instruments set to be put into action by the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs sometime in mid-November this year; Perth will, henceforth, as a newly labelled ‘regional’ city, offer extensive opportunities and attractions for international students. Moving forward, international students in Perth will also have better and more widespread access to points-tested visas, which will remove the advantage currently enjoyed by regional cities such as Adelaide, Darwin or Hobart. International education helps create significant, long-term diplomatic relations; while also providing a global perspective for domestic students of Australia. International students also generate cultural links, knowledge exchange and connections that will help build social capital and contribute to international research and business relations at any point of time in the future. As a result of the reclassification of Perth as a “regional area” of Australia, international students will now be motivated to apply to the many universities in the locale—allowing the pressure on the metropolitan cities to be reduced at least a little bit. If you are looking for a great Australian city to study in, choose Perth: the city full of promises and marvelous wonders!