Queensland State Nomination 2026–27: What Applicants Need to Know

Migration Queensland opened Registrations of Interest (ROIs) for Queensland state nomination under its 2026–27 State Nominated Migration Program (SNMP) on 6 November 2026, following the publication of updated program settings on 30 October 2026. If you are an international graduate of a Queensland university or a skilled worker living in Queensland or overseas, these rules set out how to seek nomination for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) or the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).

Every applicant must submit a fresh ROI for the 2026–27 program year, and onshore candidates face an upfront tax evidence requirement before they can register. Taking time to prepare accurate employment, skills assessment and tax records matters more than rushing an early submission, as Migration Queensland selects candidates on overall competitiveness rather than lodgement speed, and submitting an ROI does not guarantee an invitation.

What Changed for Queensland State Nomination on 6 November 2026?

On 30 October 2026, Migration Queensland published its updated 2026–27 SNMP pathways, occupation lists and documentation checklists, with the online ROI forms opening on 6 November 2026. All ROIs submitted in previous financial years have lapsed, meaning candidates who registered in 2025–26 without receiving a nomination must lodge a new ROI to be considered in 2026–27.

Several practical updates apply now that the program is in force. Onshore applicants must hold their 2025–26 Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Notice of Assessment (NOA) before lodging an ROI, unless they were exempt from filing a tax return for that year. In addition, the Business Purchase stream under the Regional Small Business Owners pathway is now closed, leaving only a time-limited Business Start-up option for eligible businesses registered on or before 19 September 2025.

How Do the Five Queensland Nomination Pathways Compare in 2026–27?

Before registering with Migration Queensland, every applicant must meet the Department of Home Affairs baseline criteria for subclass 190 or subclass 491. Under the Migration Regulations 1994, this includes being under 45 years of age at invitation, holding a valid skills assessment, having at least Competent English (Regulation 1.15C), and scoring at least 65 points on the federal points test (inclusive of 5 points for subclass 190 nomination or 15 points for subclass 491 nomination).

On top of those federal rules, Migration Queensland runs five distinct skilled pathways for 2026–27. You must choose the single pathway and visa subclass that matches your current location, study background and employment.

Two pathway rules deserve special attention for graduates and tradespeople:

• Graduate work flexibility versus SkillSelect points: Under the Queensland University Graduates pathway, your Queensland degree does not need to relate to your nominated occupation, and you can meet Queensland's 20-hour-per-week work requirement in any ANZSCO Skill Level 1 occupation (as well as your nominated or closely related occupation). However, in your federal SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI), you can only claim skilled employment points for work in your nominated occupation or a closely related occupation.

• Construction priority and Hospitality exclusions: Under both the Graduate and Onshore Skilled Worker streams, Chefs and Cooks working in takeaway or fast-food businesses are not eligible. Conversely, eligible tradespeople and professionals on the Building and Construction list can qualify after 3 continuous months of Queensland industry employment to support infrastructure demand ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Why Do Onshore Applicants Need a 2025–26 ATO Notice of Assessment Before Submitting an ROI?

One of the strictest checks in the 2026–27 opening applies to onshore candidates. According to Migration Queensland's ATO Notice of Assessment guidance, if you are applying from within Queensland, you must lodge your 2025–26 tax return (covering 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026) and wait until the ATO issues your Notice of Assessment (NOA) before submitting your ROI.

When completing the online ROI form, you must enter the exact dollar amount shown beside "Your taxable income is" on your 2025–26 NOA. Migration Queensland states that lodged tax return drafts, tax agent receipts, PAYG payment summaries and myGov income statements are not accepted in place of an official NOA.

The only exception applies if you were legally not required to lodge an Australian tax return for the 2025–26 financial year (for example, if you arrived in Australia after 30 June 2026 or fell below the tax-free threshold with no tax withheld). In that situation, Migration Queensland instructs applicants to enter AUD $0 as their taxable income in the ROI, and no NOA upload is required.

How Does Migration Queensland Select Candidates If Points Are Not the Main Factor?

A common misunderstanding among skilled applicants is assuming that a high SkillSelect points score automatically secures a state invitation. Migration Queensland states on its pathway eligibility pages that it does not primarily select candidates based on their Department of Home Affairs points score. Instead, Queensland assesses EOI and ROI data together across seven broad factors:

• Skills and formal qualifications

• Work experience, salary level, and ability to secure and maintain ongoing employment

• Location of employment within Queensland, with particular attention to regional, rural and remote workforce gaps

• Age at the time of selection

• English language proficiency

• Partner skills and English proficiency

• Current workforce demand and critical skills shortages across Queensland

As at 13 November 2026, neither Migration Queensland nor the Department of Home Affairs (State and territory nomination allocations, last updated 21 September 2026) has published the individual state nomination quotas for 2026–27. At the national level, Home Affairs' 2026–27 Permanent Migration Program planning levels increased the State/Territory Nominated visa category from 33,000 to 35,500 places, while setting the Regional category planning level at 14,110 places within an unchanged 185,000 total permanent program. Note that federal planning levels measure visa grants across the year (including existing on-hand pipelines), whereas state allocations set how many new primary applicants each state may nominate.

If you receive Queensland nomination and lodge your visa application within the 60-day Home Affairs window, the order in which Home Affairs assesses your visa is governed separately by Ministerial Direction 122 skilled visa processing priorities. Once granted, you must commit to living and working in Queensland for at least 2 years for subclass 190, or in Regional Queensland for at least 3 years for subclass 491—aligned with the residence period generally needed before eligible regional visa holders look toward the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191).

Common Mistakes and What This Opening Does Not Mean

Because Migration Queensland enforces strict administrative rules around ROIs and invitations, small errors can cost an applicant an entire program year. Keep these limits in mind:

Previous ROIs do not carry over: Submitting an ROI in 2025–26 does not keep you in the queue. Every candidate must submit a new ROI from 6 November 2026.

One subclass and one active ROI only: You can select either subclass 190 or subclass 491 in your ROI—not both. If you submit a second ROI, it replaces your earlier submission and only the most recent ROI is considered. In addition, Migration Queensland will not nominate you for subclass 190 if you already hold, have applied for, or have been nominated for a subclass 491 or Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489).

Submitted ROIs cannot be edited: Once lodged, an ROI cannot be updated. If your salary, employment hours, English test result or EOI points change, you must submit a fresh ROI and make sure your SkillSelect EOI matches.

No second nomination if EOI points were over-claimed: Migration Queensland warns on its FAQ page that it does not re-nominate applicants in the same program year—even if you realise after nomination that you over-claimed points in your SkillSelect EOI.

Missing the 14-calendar-day invitation window closes your file: If invited, you have 14 calendar days to upload every document on the skilled visa documentation checklist and pay the non-refundable processing fee. Incomplete applications are closed, and you will not be invited again in 2026–27.

Purchasing a regional business no longer qualifies for 491 SBO: Do not buy an existing business expecting Queensland 491 nomination. Pathway 1 (Business Purchase) is closed, and businesses started after 19 September 2025 (or before 1 June 2024) are ineligible under Pathway 2.

What Should Graduates and Skilled Workers Do Next?

If you plan to seek Queensland nomination during the 2026–27 program year, work through these steps before submitting your ROI:

Confirm your occupation and subclass: Check the 2026–27 Queensland Onshore or Offshore Skilled Occupation List to verify whether your ANZSCO occupation is open for subclass 190, subclass 491, or the Building and Construction pathway.

Audit your SkillSelect EOI and points: Review your federal points score using Interlace's PR eligibility tool and verify that your skills assessment, passport and English test results will remain valid through invitation and nomination.

Download your 2025–26 ATO Notice of Assessment (if onshore): Log in to myGov, confirm your 2025–26 tax return has been finalised, and note the exact "Your taxable income is" figure before opening the ROI form.

Prepare your 14-day document folder in advance: Gather your passport, VEVO check (if onshore), skills assessment, employer Statement of Service, payslips, superannuation records, lease or utility bills, and Queensland graduation certificate (if applicable) before lodging your ROI, so a 14-day invitation deadline does not catch you short.

Maintain qualifying employment continuously: For onshore worker and graduate streams, remember that you must continue meeting Queensland's residence and 20-paid-hour weekly employment rules at ROI submission, at invitation, and at final nomination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to submit a new Queensland ROI if I lodged one in 2025–26?

Yes. Migration Queensland requires all candidates to submit a new Registration of Interest for the 2026–27 program from 6 November 2026, even if you submitted an ROI in a previous program year and were not invited.

Can I submit a Queensland ROI while holding a Student visa (subclass 500)?

According to Migration Queensland's official FAQs, a Student visa (subclass 500) holder may submit an ROI only if they already meet every requirement for their chosen pathway. That includes holding a valid skills assessment and meeting all post-qualification work experience rules, which generally must be completed after finishing your qualification.

Can I apply for both subclass 190 and subclass 491 in my Queensland ROI?

No. You can select only one visa subclass in a Queensland ROI and hold only one valid ROI at a time. If you submit a new ROI for a different subclass, it overrides your earlier ROI and only your most recent submission will be considered in selection rounds.

How much does a Queensland state nomination application cost in 2026–27?

Submitting an ROI to Migration Queensland is free. If you are invited to apply for nomination, the non-refundable processing fee is AUD $630.30 (including 10% GST) for onshore applicants or payments made within Australia, and AUD $573.00 (GST-free) for offshore applicants.

Does my Queensland university degree need to match my nominated occupation?

Under the Queensland University Graduates pathway, your Queensland Bachelor, Masters or PhD qualification (completed 100% in Queensland after 1 July 2022) does not need to be related to your nominated occupation. You can also meet Queensland's 20-hour weekly employment rule in any ANZSCO Skill Level 1 occupation, though you can only claim federal SkillSelect employment points for work in your nominated or closely related occupation.

How long do I have to upload documents if Migration Queensland invites me?

You have 14 calendar days from the date of invitation to upload all required supporting documents and pay the application processing fee. Once a complete application and fee are received, Migration Queensland states assessments often take 2 to 4 weeks, though timeframes vary; if nominated, you then have 60 calendar days to lodge your visa application with the Department of Home Affairs.

This article is general information only and is not migration advice. Visa rules change often; check the official sources linked above and speak with a registered migration agent about your circumstances.