Migration news
Migration Queensland has published its 2026–27 program. For onshore applicants the work period is now counted within a longer window, a 2025–26 Notice of Assessment is needed before lodging an ROI, and every applicant must lodge a new ROI from 6 November 2026. This summary sets out the criteria, how candidates are selected and the documents to prepare.
Huy NguyenAbout the source. This summary is based on the pages Migration Queensland published on 30 October 2026 for the Skilled workers living in Queensland (onshore) pathway. It explains the published criteria and does not assess any individual case. Migration Queensland can change its pages at any time, so check them again before you lodge an ROI.
On 30 October 2026, Migration Queensland published its State Nominated Migration Program for 2026–27, together with updated pathways, occupation lists and a documentation checklist.
Registrations of Interest (ROIs) open on 6 November 2026.
This article covers the pathway for skilled workers who already live and work in Queensland, referred to by Migration Queensland as “onshore” candidates. It can lead to nomination for either the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) or the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).
Three points matter before anything else.
Migration Queensland also notes that the program is highly competitive and that lodging an ROI does not guarantee an invitation.
An applicant must meet the Department of Home Affairs requirements for the visa and Migration Queensland's own nomination criteria. The main Queensland criteria for this pathway are:
| Requirement | What the page says |
|---|---|
| Occupation | A valid skills assessment for an occupation on the Queensland Onshore Skilled Occupation List |
| Points | 65 or more on the Department of Home Affairs points test |
| English | At least Competent English |
| Visa subclass | Set by the occupation list. Some occupations can only be nominated for subclass 491 |
| Living and working in Queensland | Currently living and working in Queensland for a Queensland-based employer, plus the qualifying period in section 3 |
| Commitment | To keep living and working in Queensland for 2 years after a 190 grant, or in regional Queensland for 3 years after a 491 grant |
Two exclusions are stated on the page:
Check your points and occupation. The points calculator and occupation search on this site can help you check the federal points score and the lists your occupation appears on. Queensland's own onshore list should still be checked on the Migration Queensland site.
This is the change most likely to affect people who already planned to apply.
| Visa | 2026–27 | 2025–26, as published |
|---|---|---|
| Subclass 190 | Living and working in Queensland for at least 9 of the last 12 months immediately before the ROI | The 9 months immediately before the ROI |
| Subclass 491 | Living and working in regional Queensland for at least 6 of the last 9 months immediately before the ROI | The 6 months immediately before the ROI |
The period is counted backwards from the date the ROI is lodged. On its face, the new wording leaves room for a break within the window, as long as the total reaches 9 months (190) or 6 months (491) and the applicant is living and working in Queensland at the time of the ROI. The page does not explain how particular gaps will be treated, so any break should be declared accurately and checked against the evidence.
Hypothetical example: a person who worked in Queensland from November 2025 to April 2026, travelled for two months, then returned to the same job in July 2026 may now be able to count more than nine months within the twelve months before an ROI lodged in November 2026. Under the 2025–26 wording, the break would have mattered more.
The work experience must also:
Casual employment is accepted, and more than one eligible job can be combined to reach the required period.
The requirement has to be met when the ROI is lodged, when an invitation is issued and when the nomination is made. Losing a job or moving out of Queensland between those stages can therefore affect the application.
Onshore applicants must have lodged their 2025–26 tax return and received their ATO Notice of Assessment (NOA) before submitting an ROI.
The ROI asks for the applicant's taxable income for 2025–26 as shown on the NOA for the year ended 30 June 2026, and the NOA is one of the documents requested after an invitation.
Anyone who has not yet lodged a 2025–26 return, or who is waiting for the assessment, should deal with that first. The NOA can be found in the ATO section of myGov.
Migration Queensland states that it does not primarily select candidates on the points score claimed in the EOI. It uses information from the EOI and the ROI to identify the applicants best placed to contribute to Queensland's economic and workforce priorities.
The selection factors listed are:
Current workforce demand and skill shortages are also considered, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas. Invitations go to the most competitive applicants at the time of selection, and meeting the criteria does not guarantee an invitation.
Before lodging, Migration Queensland asks applicants to make sure the EOI is accurate and up to date and that every claim in the EOI and ROI can be supported by documents. Providing incorrect information or claiming points the applicant is not entitled to means the person will not be nominated again in the same program year, even with a new EOI.
Invited applicants have 14 calendar days to upload the documents and application form and pay the application fee. For onshore applicants the fee is A$630.30 including GST for subclass 190 or 491, and it is not refundable. An application that is incomplete after 14 days is closed, and the person cannot be invited again in the same program year.
The documents requested for this pathway are:
| Document | Points to note |
|---|---|
| State Nomination Application Form | Provided with the invitation; every question answered and the form signed |
| Passport bio page | Colour scan. The number must match the ROI; if the passport has been renewed, provide both |
| VEVO statement | A recent copy |
| Skills assessment | Valid for the nominated occupation. Some occupations provide registration instead, for example AHPRA registration or a solicitor's Certificate of Admission |
| Evidence of residential address | A residential lease, or a utility bill (such as electricity or water) issued in the last three months. Bank statements, phone and internet bills are not accepted. If neither is available, a Commonwealth statutory declaration stating the address, the date residence there began and why accepted evidence cannot be provided |
| Employment contract | A complete contract for each job used for the qualifying period, showing at least 20 paid hours per week in the nominated or a closely related occupation |
| Statement of Service form | One per employer for the qualifying period, completed and signed by the direct supervisor or HR. For labour-hire workers, the form is completed by the organisation where the work is done, not the labour-hire company. Gaps, including unpaid leave, must be declared |
| Payslips | Up to three per employer: one from the start, one from the middle if applicable, and one from the end or the most recent |
| 2025–26 Notice of Assessment | From the ATO account in myGov |
Self-employed applicants should read the separate guidance in Migration Queensland's documentation checklist.
Fourteen days is short, particularly when former employers have to complete a Statement of Service. Preparing these documents before lodging the ROI, rather than after an invitation, avoids most of the pressure.
A nominated applicant receives an invitation from the Department of Home Affairs and has 60 days to lodge the subclass 190 or 491 visa application. Not lodging within 60 days means the person cannot be invited to apply for Queensland nomination again in the same program year.
Nomination does not guarantee a visa. The Department assesses every visa application against the visa requirements, including health, character and the claims made in the EOI.
Queensland nomination remains competitive. A careful ROI, with claims that the documents support, is the part each applicant can control.
Source: Migration Queensland, “Skilled workers living in Queensland (onshore)”, “How to apply – Skilled visas”, “Application fees” and the news item “2026-27 SNMP now published” (last published 30 October 2026). Read on 31 October 2026. Comparisons with 2025–26 refer to the criteria as they were published for that year.
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