A Look at the 2022/23 Skilled Migration Visa Nomination Program: Queensland

Queensland’s 2022/23 Skilled Migration Program opened on 16 August 2022 to both applicants living in Queensland and offshore. With a new nomination criteria, the program provides permanent residency pathways for skilled workers, graduates, and small business owners.

Queensland will be nominating skilled migrants in occupations that are in demand for both provisional visas and permanent residency.

Notably, Migration Queensland will only accept a brand new EOI submitted on Skillselect from 16 August 2022. This means that updating existing EOIs submitted prior to 16 August 2022 will not be considered for an invitation.

Following consultation with Queensland, the following interim nomination levels have been allocated for 2022/23:

Queensland assesses eligible applicants against criteria unique to their jurisdiction.

Migration Queensland notes that invitations will go to the highest points per occupation; however other requirements may be considered where there are a large number of EOIs for a particular occupation on the same points – e.g., regional location, years of work experience.

Queensland’s 2022/23 Skilled Migration Program offers the following skilled visa pathways:

• Skilled workers living in Queensland (190 and 491 visas)
• Skilled workers living offshore (190 and 491 visas)
• Graduates of a Queensland university (190 and 491 visas)
• Small business owners operating in regional Queensland (491 visa only)

Skilled workers living in Queensland

To be eligible for a Queensland nomination, skilled individuals who are currently living and working in Queensland must meet both the Department of Home Affairs criteria and Migration Queensland criteria for their chosen visa category.

Migration Queensland criteria require skilled workers living in Queensland to:

• Skilled Nominated (Permanent) visa (subclass 190)
  • Have a points-test result of 80 or higher (except for Trades occupations, which require 75 or higher)
  • Have a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation
  • Be under 45 years of age
  • Have Proficient English or higher (except for Trades occupations, which require Competent English)
  • Have an occupation on the Home Affairs’ relevant list of eligible skilled occupations (LIN 19/051)
  • Have evidence that you have been living in Queensland and undertaking full-time post-qualification employment over the past 6 months in your nominated occupation immediately prior to submitting your EOI
  • Have evidence of ongoing employment with a Queensland employer that is registered in Queensland for a further 12 months
  • Commit to living and working in Queensland for 2 years from visa grant
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
  • Have a point-test result of 65 or higher
  • Have a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation
  • Be under 45 years of age
  • Have Proficient English or higher (except for Trades occupations, which require Competent English)
  • Have an occupation on the Home Affairs’ relevant list of eligible skilled occupations (LIN 19/051)
  • Have evidence that you have been living in regional Queensland and undertaking full-time post-qualification employment over the past 3 months in your nominated occupation immediately prior to submitting your EOI
  • Have evidence of ongoing employment with a Queensland employer that is registered in Queensland for a further 12 months. This must be ongoing employment in a regional area
  • Commit to living and working in regional Queensland for 3 years from visa grant

Skilled workers living offshore

To be eligible for a Queensland nomination, skilled individuals who are currently offshore must meet both the Department of Home Affairs criteria and Migration Queensland criteria for their chosen visa category.

Migration Queensland criteria require skilled workers living offshore to:

• Skilled Nominated (Permanent) visa (subclass 190)
  • Have a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation
  • Be under 45 years of age
  • Have a points-test result of 80 or higher (unless otherwise specified)
  • Have an occupation on the Offshore Queensland Skilled Occupation List (QSOL)
  • Have Proficient English or higher (except where otherwise specified)
  • Have a minimum of 3 years of post-study work experience (except where otherwise specified)
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
  • Have a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation
  • Be under 45 years of age
  • Have a points-test result of 65 or higher (unless otherwise specified)
  • Have an occupation on the Offshore Queensland Skilled Occupation List (QSOL)
  • Have Proficient English or higher (except where otherwise specified)
  • Have a minimum of 3 years of post-study work experience (except where otherwise specified)

Migration Queensland regularly reviews and updates its QSOL to reflect current labour market conditions.

Graduates of a Queensland university 

This is a pathway for high performing graduates, who have graduated from a Queensland university with a PhD or Doctorate, Master’s Degree, or Bachelor’s Degree – and are currently onshore in Queensland.

To be eligible for a Queensland nomination, graduates must meet the Migration Queensland criteria:

• Skilled Nominated (Permanent) visa (subclass 190)
  • Have a point test result of 80 or higher, inclusive of state nomination
  • Have evidence of employment with a Queensland employer registered in Australia in their nominated occupation (or closely related occupation) (excludes PhD and Doctorate Graduates)
  • Meet the minimum English language requirement of Proficient English
  • Meet the additional criteria for qualification level
    • PhD and Doctorate Graduate
      • Be living onshore in Queensland
      • Have completed 100% of the PhD or Doctorate at a Queensland-based institution
      • Have had a decision on thesis and graduated in the last 2 years
      • Have an occupation on LIN 19/051
    • Masters Graduates
      • Be living onshore in Queensland
      • Have completed 100% of Master’s degree (by research or coursework) at a Queensland-based institution
      • Have graduated in the last two years
      • Have a Master’s Degree and skills assessment in a STEM field
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
  • Have a point test result of 65 or higher, inclusive of state nomination
  • Meet the minimum English language requirement of Proficient English
  • Meet the additional criteria for qualification level
    • PhD and Doctorate Graduate
      • Be living onshore in Queensland
      • Have completed 100% of the PhD or Doctorate at a Queensland-based institution
      • Have had a decision on thesis and graduated in the last 2 years
      • Have an occupation on LIN 19/051
    • Masters Graduates
      • Be living onshore in regional Queensland
      • Have completed 100% of the Master’s degree (by research or coursework) at a Queensland-based institution
      • Have graduated in the last two years
      • Have an occupation on LIN 19/051
      • Be employed full-time (35 hours per week minimum) in Queensland in the nominated or closely related occupation in a regional area
    •  Bachelor Graduates
      • Be living onshore in regional Queensland
      • Have completed 100% of the Bachelor’s degree at a Queensland-based institution
      • Have graduated in the last two years
      • Have a grade point average of 5.5 (or equivalent) or higher
      • Have an occupation on LIN 19/051
      • Be employed full-time in regional Queensland in the nominated or closely related occupation

Small business owners in regional Queensland

This is a pathway for migrants who are currently living and operating a small business in a regional area.

To be eligible for a Queensland nomination, business owners must meet both the Department of Home Affairs criteria and Migration Queensland criteria for their chosen visa category.  

To be eligible for a Queensland nomination, business owners must:

• Have a points-test result of 65 or higher, inclusive of state nomination points
• Have a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation
•  Be under 45 years of age
• Meet the minimum English language requirement of Competent English, unless a higher level is required by your assessing authority
• Have an occupation on the Legislative Instrument (LIN 19/051)
• Be on a visa that allows full-time work and operation of the business
• Have purchased an existing business in regional Queensland
• Purchased a business for a minimum of $100,000 or have been operating a profitable start-up for a minimum of 2 years with a turnover of $200,000 in the year directly prior to application
• Have 100% ownership of the business
• Have been trading in the business for 6 months before application
• Employ 1 employee who is an Australian resident, working a minimum of 20 hours per week, or 2 employees working 10 hours a week
• Have evidence of sufficient settlement funds

Queensland nomination process

The visa process consists of either three or four stages:

1. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs using SkillSelect
2. If applying under the small business owner or graduate stream, submit an online form (SBO assessment form or Graduate Pathways Assessment Form) on the Migration Queensland website after submitting the EOI
3. If you are invited, you must submit a nomination application with Migration Queensland
4. If your nomination application is successful, you must submit a visa application for your selected visa with the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs within 60 days.

This article contains general information on the 190 and 491 visas, as well as Queensland State Nomination, which are correct as of the date of writing this article. Changes to the migration program can occur without notice. The above information is not intended to be legal advice. 

To explore your skilled visa options with Queensland, contact Migration Affairs for a consultation today!