[Moulard]

They mention 16 months as the minimum time. Good luck.

Not relevant in this case. That is the minimum study period to satisfy the Australian study requirement.


What is relevant is the following requirement....

while the applicant undertook the course of study, the applicant lived in a designated regional area (this requirement relates to the whole course not just the period used to satisfy the Australian study requirement) (paragraph 6D101(c));

The intention of this requirement is that a visa holder both studies and resides in a designated regional area for the duration of the course of study.


So from the letter of the requirement the OP needs to have been living in a regional area for the whole duration of the course, which they have not ... 16 days shy.... but what is also important is a pattern that is consistent with the intent of the requirement.

My personal view is 16 days at the start of a 2 year qualification is probably ok (but then I am a random stranger on the internet) particularly if the reason is sound and if they are able to provide supporting documentation both that shows that they had a reasonable reason for moving their late such as for once-off business reasons; a brief holiday or to undertake training for work and have evidence to showed they met the requirement for the rest of the course.