Queensland Skilled Migration Program

Queensland is one of the popular destinations for the skilled migrants who look for some amazing career opportunities overseas. This state doesn’t just provide amazing working conditions and high living standards for anyone who works and lives there but also offers the highest minimum wage with proper entitlements, including leave and public holidays. Even the weather is quite favourable therein. Now with such amazing facilities, it wouldn’t be a surprise that the destination is highly preferred for the skilled migrants worldwide.

For anyone who is willing to work and settle in Queensland, they are required to obtain a state nomination Visa at first. It can either be a temporary visa that has the pathway for permanent residency or a permanent residency visa that allows the skilled for residing and working permanently in the state.

Queensland’s migration is completely controlled and governed by the government of Queensland Business and Skilled Migration Queensland (BSMQ) unit. They provide all the instructions and requirements in relation to the migration program. One must keep in mind that they complete the application and make it decision-ready, as only such applications get accepted by the immigration authorities. One must also check the revised list of occupations that get published every year based on the requirement of the labour market, etc.

Considering the above and understanding the importance of it, if you are making an application for the Queensland Skilled Migration Program, make sure to go through the below-mentioned information. It will provide clarity on how to make the application and what are the eligibility criteria to move ahead, along with the other information.

Queensland Skilled Migration Program- Requirements as per Ministry of Home Affairs

• One will be eligible for the application under this program only if the occupation chosen by them appears on the skilled occupation list of Queensland.
• It is to be remembered that the visa is completely based on the points, and one is required to score a minimum of 65 points (subclass 190 requires 80 points or above) to make an application.
• The applicant must work and stay in Queensland for at least 2 years if they get their application processed successfully.
• One must be a professional in English.
• The applicant is required to have work experience. It must be of at least 3 years or even more unless otherwise it’s not needed or if the occupation asks for more.

Queensland Skilled Migration Program- Requirements as per BSMQ

• The applicants who are currently working in Queensland must have the occupation on QSOL.
• When making an application for subclass 491 visa, one must prove that they have been living within regional queens land for at least a time period of 3 months.
• The applicant is able to prove that they have been on the full-time employment that requires a minimum of 35 hours of work every week in the nominated occupation for the last 6 months if they are making an application for subclass 190 and for 3 months if they are making application for subclass 491 before they lodge the visa application.
• Applicants are also required to meet specific requirements for some of the occupations.
• The applicant must be able to prove that they have the ongoing full-time employment, which requires a minimum of 35 hours of work every week with a Queensland employer that is registered in the Australia for at least 12 months.
• The applicant must be committed to working and living and Queensland for 2 years at least from the time the visa gets granted under subclass 190 and 3 years at least from the time the visa gets granted under subclass 491.

Queensland Skilled Migration Program- Visa Types

There are two types of visas under the Queensland Skilled Migration Program. A discussion of the same has been made below.

1. Skilled Nominated (Permanent) visa subclass 190

The visa is points tested and is available for the postgraduate aluminium and skilled migrants who would love to work and permanently live in Queensland. The applicant can be either living overseas or in Australia in order to make the application. The eligibility requirements for making an application are,

• The applicant must be able to obtain the points test results, that is, they must have at least 65 points.
• The applicant must have had a positive skills assessment within the nominated occupation.
• The applicant must be below the age of 45 years.
• The applicant must be able to meet the requirements of minimum English language.

There are certain criteria for postgraduate applicants and the overseas applicants, and more or less, the eligibility criteria, as discussed, remain the same for all. Keep reading ahead to know more.

a. Postgraduate applicants- Subclass 190
The state is in high demand of the skilled international postgraduate alumni. They are looking forward to filling up the occupations which they are unable to fill within the local labour market. This is why the state has been offering the nomination for the masters and the postgraduate students within this subclass visa. However, they won’t be eligible if they haven’t received the nomination from the BSMQ or have applied for or are the current holder of the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa subclass 489 or Skilled Regional Work (Provisional) visa Subclass 491.

b. Working Currently in Queensland (subclass 190 & 491)
The visa stream is available for anyone working and living in Queensland in a skilled occupation and has the occupation which the local labour market is unable to fill up. However, it is required that applicants are not studying when making the application.
The nomination gets offered by the government to the applicants holding visas under these subclasses. Concerning subclass 491, the applicants are allowed to work and live in the state for at least 5 years, and then they can make an upgrade to the permanent residency.
In this subclass, the applicant can work for either one or more employers and have two part-time jobs, or they can even manage their own business. As for the rest, the eligibility criteria remain similar to subclass 190.

c. Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491
The five-year points-tested visa this is what the subclass denotes, and it leads to permanent residency within Queensland. The requirement here is that the nominated workers must be living and working in Queensland. The applicant can be a postgraduate student or anyone working in Queensland, or an applicant from the overseas. The eligibility criteria remain similar to subclass 190 herein too.

2. Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa- Subclass 489

As a points-tested visa, it remains applicable for 4 years and is a perfect pathway towards permanent residency. However, in order to be eligible to be skilled workers who are nominated, they are required to remain employed full-time for at least a year, and they must live in the regional Queensland for 2 years at least. However, with this visa, the holder and the dependent are only allowed for studying and living in a specific region, and they can live anywhere apart from Gold Coast in the Greater Brisbane area. Also, the applicant for the visa cannot apply for 190 and 491 visas, and neither are they eligible for the Australian Medicare.

Queensland Skilled Occupation lists

Some of the most important roles that are under the Skilled Occupation Lists are discussed below.
Medium And Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)

• Construction Project Manager
• Engineering Manager
• Artistic Director
• Accountant (General)
• Management Accountant
• Transport Engineer
• Electrical Engineer
• Environmental Research Scientist
• Teacher Of The Hearing Impaired
• Nuclear Medicine Technologist
• Occupational Therapist
• Thoracic Medicine Specialist
• Emergency Medicine Specialist
• Registered Nurse (Aged Care)
• Telecommunications Field Engineer, etc.

Short‑term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)

• Cafe Or Restaurant Manager
• Customer Service Manager
• Conference And Event Organiser
• Video Producer
• Copywriter
• Print Journalist
• Technical Writer
• Ict Trainer
• Mathematician
• Marketing Specialist
• Public Relations Professional
• Technical Sales Representatives (Nec), Including Education Sales Representatives
• Fashion Designer
• Drug And Alcohol Counsellor
• Hardware Technician
• Butcher Or Smallgoods Maker
• Cook
• Wood Machinist
• Retail Buyer, etc.

Regional Occupation List QLD

• Aquaculture Farmer
• Deer Farmer
• Mixed Crop And Livestock Farmer
• Public Relations Manager
• Caravan Park And Camping Ground Manager
• Flying Instructor
• Intellectual Property Lawyer
• Safety Inspector
• Dental Hygienist
• Real Estate Representative, etc.

For Skilled Workers Offshore

• Construction Project Manager
• Engineering Manager
• Child Care Centre Manager
• Biochemist
• Hospital Pharmacist
• Retail Pharmacist
• Software Engineer
• Meat Inspector
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical)
• Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber
• Butcher or Smallgoods Maker
• Nurseryperson
• Hairdresser
• Jockey, etc.

Queensland Skilled Migration Program- Application

In order to make the application, the below-mentioned five steps are to be followed.

• Get a comprehensive assessment.
• Submit the Expression of Interest. The applicant who is able to express a preference for Queensland definitely gets priority.
• Business and Skilled Migration Queensland, they make sure to review the submitted EOI and select the applicant.
• Invitation to apply is received.
• Lastly, make sure to complete and then submit the visa application.

Get the needed Professional Help Today

It is not an easy step to make the application and move along with the processes within the immigration journey. From the expression of interest to the invitation to make an application, there are a lot of things that one needs to handle, and it can become a headache at times. If you are one such person who has been feeling the same, now is the time to connect with a licenced immigration agent or immigration consultant, or any other agent who can help you out. They will be able to guide you and deal with any aspect that comes ahead as part of the application process. So, go ahead and appoint a professional. Get the needed help without much delay.