Queensland (Australia) Skilled Immigration

If you wish to migrate to Queensland, then you can either apply for a Provisional Visa (Regional-subclass 491) or a Permanent Residency Visa (subclass 190). The procedures related to the state migration comes under the Queensland’s Government Business and Skilled Migration Queensland (BSMQ) unit, where it grant the visas under the following categories:

• Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)

It is a state nominated visa, which utilizes a point-based system for highly skilled workers who want to permanently settle in Queensland.

• Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491)

This visa is a provisional visa that allows nominated skilled workers to work and live in regional Queensland for four years, which is also a pathway to permanent residency.

Employment can be undertaken in the following ways:

• Work for one or more employers
• Two part time jobs
• Be self-employed/own your own business

It is important to note that candidates who have been granted with the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) visa are not eligible to apply for the Skilled Nominated (Permanent) visa (subclass 190).

Who is Eligible?

It is crucial for the aspiring candidate to satisfy the eligibility criteria set by both the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and Skilled Migration Queensland (BSMQ).

As per the DHA criteria, the candidate needs to meet the following conditions:

• Must score at least 65 points or more inclusive of state nomination points
• Have a positive skills assessment by the designated authority to demonstrate that they have relevant expertise to work in Queensland in their nominated occupation
• Be less than 45 years of age
• Must meet the minimum English language proficiency of COMPETENT, unless a higher level is required by your assessing authority

Onshore (subclass 190 and 491) under Queensland Skilled Immigration

BSMQ criteria requires you to:

• Have an occupation listed under QSOL ‘Working in Queensland’ list
• Must demonstrate the proof of full-time employment (post-qualification) for the past six months in your nominated occupation in Queensland
• Provide evidence of ongoing employment with current registered employer in Queensland. The document must include the name of the employer, job duties, and hours of work (minimum 35 hours per week)
• Commit to living and working in Queensland for 2 years from the date of visa grant.

Offshore (subclass 190 and 491) under Queensland Skilled Immigration is introduced for foreign skilled professionals and the objective is to address the labor shortage needs in Queensland. In the case of subclass 491, the nominated candidate must have a legitimate job offer for 12 months in the region of Queensland.

To meet BSMQ criteria, the candidate must:

• Have an experience of working in any of the occupation listed under QSOL ‘Offshore’ list.
• Demonstrate at least two years of experience of working in the nominated occupation.
• Be determined to permanently work and settle in Queensland.
• For offshore applicants applying under a Cook or Chef occupation, it is important to provide a letter of employment with a registered employer in Queensland. The letter must contain job responsibilities and working hours of the nominated applicant, and evidence is required showing acceptance of the offer.

Queensland Skilled Immigration for Postgraduates: The purpose of this program is to attract highly-skilled postgraduate alumni of the Queensland University to fill job positions for which no local talent is available. Nominations are granted to eligible Master’s and Ph.D. graduates under the Skilled Nomination (Permanent) visa (subclass 190). The stream is not applicable for candidates who have already been granted the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).

To meet BSMQ criteria, the candidate must:

• Have an occupation listing on the “QSOL Masters Graduate List” (Master’s Degree) or “DHA list of Eligible Skilled Occupations” (in case of PhD)
• The candidate must have completed his/her master degree from any Queensland-based college/institution in the last two years (Master’s Degree)
• The candidate must have completed 100% of his/her PhD from a Queensland-based institution and graduated in the last two years. (in case of PhD)
• Demonstrate at least two years of experience of working in the nominated occupation with an Australian employer. (Master’s Degree)
• Provide an evidence of employment with the current registered organization in Queensland. The document must include the name of the employer, job duties, and hours of work (minimum 35 hrs. per week). (Master’s Degree)
• Job offer is not mandatory for Ph.D. students

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