State nomination · QLD
Queensland State Nomination — 190 & 491
Migration Queensland, formerly Business and Skilled Migration Queensland (BSMQ), runs Queensland's nomination program for the Skilled Nominated (190) and Skilled Work Regional (491) visas. For 2026-27 it has five skilled pathways, and every candidate starts with a new Registration of Interest for a single subclass.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed November 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Nominating body
- Migration Queensland
- Visas
- 190 · 491
- Pathways
- 5 (onshore and offshore)
- Fee
- A$573 offshore · A$630.30 onshore
The migration agent that other migration agents learn from. WIDEN is an OMARA-approved CPD provider — our training is rated ★4.8 by 40+ registered migration agents.
About the CPD →2026-27 program status: OPEN — Migration Queensland's 2026-27 Registrations of Interest opened on 6 November 2026 for its onshore and offshore pathways. Everyone must lodge a new 2026-27 ROI (one subclass per ROI; one valid ROI at a time); onshore applicants need their 2025-26 ATO Notice of Assessment first.
2026-27 allocation not published; 2025-26 was 2,600 places (1,850 × 190 · 750 × 491). Application fees rose 1 July 2026: A$573 offshore / A$630.30 onshore. Historically strong for trades, health and applicants with Queensland work history.All states' status → · checked 3 November 2026 · official source
MARN 1576536 · Pathways, ROI rules and fees checked against migration.qld.gov.au on 8 November 2026
WIDEN does not issue Queensland nominations. Migration Queensland does, on its own published criteria. Outcomes cannot be guaranteed (s 15). WIDEN's role is the migration pathway — visa subclass, points strategy, EOI lodgement, and integration with the broader visa application.
Queensland skilled pathways
- Skilled workers living outside Australia — offshore candidates in occupations on the Queensland Offshore Skilled Occupation List.
- Skilled workers living in Queensland — onshore candidates living in Queensland, in an occupation on the Queensland Onshore Skilled Occupation List.
- Building and construction workers in Queensland — onshore candidates in the building and construction sector.
- Queensland university graduates — onshore graduates of a Queensland university.
- Small business owners in regional Queensland — onshore, for the 491 only; see also the national business migration guide.
Each pathway has its own criteria and document checklist on the Migration Queensland website. Onshore candidates need their 2025-26 ATO Notice of Assessment before lodging an ROI.
Typical criteria framework
- EOI lodged in SkillSelect, ticking Queensland as nominating state
- Positive skills assessment in an occupation on the relevant Queensland list
- Demonstrated current connection to Queensland (employment, business ownership, or qualifying study) for most streams
- Minimum points appropriate to your stream and occupation
- English at the level required by the visa subclass
- Commitment to live and work in Queensland; for the 491, outside Greater Brisbane, which is not a designated regional area
Discuss your QLD pathway
QLD nomination: book 30 minutes with Keshab
WIDEN does not issue state nominations; Queensland decides them. Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536), checks whether your occupation, points and ties fit the QLD criteria and how to put the EOI and application together. Video consultation, A$330 inc. GST, credited in full if you go ahead.
What you get
- 30 minutes (A$330) or 60 minutes (A$550) by video with a registered migration agent, Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536.
- A written summary of your options and next steps after the session.
- What to bring: Passport, current visa, CV, qualifications, English result, and a skills assessment or job offer if you have one.
- Prefer no call? The written pathway check is done in writing, A$550.
General information only. Queensland's skilled migration program — including occupation lists, points cut-offs, fees, criteria, and processing times — changes regularly. Verify current rules directly at migration.qld.gov.au before relying on this page.
This page does not constitute migration advice (s 23, Migration (Migration Agents Code of Conduct) Regulations 2021). WIDEN does not issue state nominations — Queensland does, on its own published criteria, and outcomes cannot be guaranteed by any registered migration agent (s 15). Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) only after a paid initial consultation under section 43 of the Code, with a written service agreement issued before further work commences (section 42). The OMARA Consumer Guide is provided to all clients before the consultation begins. PI insurance held under the Migration Agents Regulations 2026. Complaints via our Complaints Policy or directly to OMARA.
Not sure which visa fits you?
Answer three questions. An automated guide points you to the route that usually applies. General information only.
Questions we get asked first
Is Queensland open for state nomination?
OPEN — Migration Queensland's 2026-27 Registrations of Interest opened on 6 November 2026 for its onshore and offshore pathways. Everyone must lodge a new 2026-27 ROI (one subclass per ROI; one valid ROI at a time); onshore applicants need their 2025-26 ATO Notice of Assessment first. (checked 8 November 2026).
What pathways does Queensland offer for the 190 and 491?
Migration Queensland lists five skilled pathways: skilled workers living outside Australia (offshore); skilled workers living in Queensland; building and construction workers in Queensland; Queensland university graduates; and small business owners in regional Queensland, which is onshore and for the 491 only. Each has its own criteria and occupation list, onshore or offshore.
How does the Queensland ROI work?
Every applicant, including anyone who lodged in an earlier program year without being nominated, must submit a new Registration of Interest for 2026-27. You can select only one visa subclass, have only one valid ROI at a time, and cannot update an ROI once submitted; a new ROI replaces the earlier one. Your SkillSelect EOI must be current and supported by documents.
How much does Queensland nomination cost?
Migration Queensland charges A$573 for an offshore applicant (no GST) and A$630.30 for an onshore applicant (including GST), for both the 190 and the 491. The small business owners pathway is onshore only at A$630.30. The Department of Home Affairs visa charge is separate.
Who runs Queensland's state nomination?
Migration Queensland, part of the Queensland Government, runs the skilled and business nomination program. Older guides call it Business and Skilled Migration Queensland (BSMQ).
What does a consultation cost?
A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes by video with Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536), credited in full if you go ahead. The session checks which Queensland pathway fits, your occupation against the onshore or offshore list, and which subclass to put in your single ROI.
Keep reading
