Configure or restrict regions in Github Models?

[UsmanKhanG]

Hello, I'm currently using Github Models to prototype an application, however my organization requires data to stay within Canada only for compliance.

It is my understanding that most datacenters for Github and Azure's AI inference endpoints are located in the US. Is there a way to restrict this to only have data move and rest within Canada only using Github Models (assuming those models are supported in Canada)?

I've changed the base url for the client to "models.inference.ai.azure.com", would this make a difference as opposed to using the Github inference endpoint (models.github.ai/inference)?

Thank you.

[anirudh-svg]

From what I know today, GitHub Models doesn’t offer region-level control, and there’s currently no way to guarantee that inference traffic or data stays within a specific geographic region like Canada.

Even if you use the Azure-based endpoint (models.inference.ai.azure.com), the request still routes through the regions where GitHub Models is deployed. Changing the base URL doesn’t enforce a Canadian datacenter because GitHub doesn’t let you pin inference to a particular Azure region.

If your organization requires data residency in Canada for compliance, the safest option is to use Azure OpenAI or Azure AI models that explicitly support the Canada regions (e.g., Canada East / Canada Central), since those services allow region selection.

At the moment, GitHub Models is not designed for strict data-residency requirements, so Azure’s regional deployment is the more compliant approach.

If GitHub adds regional hosting in the future, it will show up in their documentation or service announcements.

[UsmanKhanG]

I see, thank you very much!

[anirudh-svg]

Please do verify with your team mates to understand if someone else is facing such issue , The thing is I dont quite get the full picture about why this is happening to you , I'm just a developer so its better to wait for an official response . I do believe Github Team will respond to your query . Have a great day mate !!

[ssgamingop]

At the moment, GitHub Models do not provide a way to guarantee region-specific data residency, including Canada-only processing. Even if you change the base URL to the Azure inference endpoint (models.inference.ai.azure.com), your requests will still be routed to whichever region the model is actually hosted in. The endpoint URL itself does not determine the physical hosting location; it only changes who is brokering the request. GitHub’s public inference service currently relies on Azure infrastructure that is predominantly hosted in US regions, and GitHub does not yet offer a way to pin requests to a specific geography like Canada.

If your organization has strict compliance requirements, the only fully supported option today is to run Azure OpenAI Service directly in a Canadian Azure region (Canada Central or Canada East), using models that Azure explicitly supports in those regions. This ensures your data stays in Canada at rest and in transit. GitHub Models do not currently provide that guarantee, even if the underlying models are available through Azure in other regions.

In short, changing the URL doesn’t enforce Canadian residency—data will still be processed in the region where GitHub hosts the model. For strict Canadian compliance, Azure OpenAI in a Canada region is the correct path until GitHub Models offer regional hosting controls.