Skilled migrants will have their visa applications accelerated if they move to regional Australia, under a $19.4 million plan revealed by the federal government.

Immigration Minister David Coleman says the funding will be used over four years and Department of Home Affairs officials will travel to regional areas to help local businesses get more skilled workers.

“There are a number of regions outside Sydney, Melbourne and southeast Queensland who are calling out for skilled migrants,” he said in a statement on Friday.

“These regional initiatives will help these communities and local business attract migrants where they are needed most.”

Under the plan, there will be priority processing for visas sponsored by employers in regional Australia, as well as agreements where local councils are able to recruit workers from overseas.

The Designated Area Migration Agreements allow employers to sponsor overseas workers for positions they are unable to fill with locals.

The federal government is pushing for more agreements, with the NT the only region signed up to one.

Warrnambool in Victoria is expected to sign one soon, Mr Coleman added.

“There are economic gaps in regional areas which immigration can help to fill, and that is exactly what we are doing through these new and expanded measures.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously flagged migrants could be asked to spend five years in a regional area if they want permanent residency.

Mr Coleman’s announcement comes as managing Australia’s population growth is expected to dominate talks between Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and his state and territory counterparts in Canberra on Friday.

-AAP