Who this may suit
Skilled workers and graduates comparing Queensland subclass 190 nomination pathways.
Key considerations
- On 17 October 2026, Migration Queensland still displayed its 2025–26 ROI closure notice and said future settings and an opening date would be announced.
- The pathway summaries below are the published framework for preparation, not confirmation that 2026–27 ROIs are open.
- An EOI, a Queensland ROI, state nomination and a federal visa application are different steps.
What the current notice means
The official homepage says available places for the closed program year have been filled. Invited applicants who already submitted an application will continue to be assessed and finalised when new places are allocated, with no further action required under that notice.
For a new candidate, neither a visible pathway page nor registration for an information session establishes an open nomination program. Keep checking the official status notice. Do not treat an old program-year table as a commitment that the next year will use identical settings.
Start with the correct occupation and visa
Subclass 190 is a permanent visa with federal occupation, assessment, English, age and points requirements. Nomination can contribute five points. Meeting a minimum points score makes an application potentially eligible; it does not establish that Queensland will select it.
Queensland publishes separate onshore and offshore occupation lists, with subclass availability attached to occupations. Confirm the assessed occupation’s code and its 190 availability. A listing for subclass 491 alone is insufficient. Professional licensing and a migration skills assessment should also be checked separately where both matter.
Compare the published 190 pathways
All of these descriptions remain subject to the closure and any revised opening settings.
- Onshore skilled worker: nine months living and working in Queensland before the ROI, with qualifying post-qualification work of at least twenty hours weekly and the relevant three-digit ANZSCO relationship.
- Queensland graduate: an eligible bachelor, master or PhD completed wholly in Queensland after 1 July 2021, satisfying the Australian study requirement. The published 190 employment period is nine months; eligible work may be the nominated occupation or another Skill Level 1 occupation.
- Building and construction: listed occupations can use a three-month qualifying Queensland work-and-residence period. The state aims to nominate suitable candidates for 190 where federal eligibility permits.
- Offshore skilled worker: an eligible offshore-listed occupation and at least one year of relevant skilled employment, with relevant employment continuing at invitation and nomination.
Understand the EOI and ROI sequence
Queensland’s published process requires an EOI in SkillSelect and then a separate state ROI. It no longer requires Queensland to be the only state selected in the EOI. A new ROI is required each program year; the most recent ROI replaces an earlier one.
After selection, the published nomination invitation period is fourteen calendar days for documents and the fee. A successful nomination leads to a separate federal invitation. Follow the actual invitation and current instructions when the program becomes available rather than reusing an old application package.
Get employment and earnings evidence right
Queensland’s annualised-earnings calculation is based on specified evidence, not simply the annual salary printed in a contract. Employees use the relevant ATO Income Statement calculation; self-employed applicants have a separate method. Save the evidence used at the time of an ROI because a later statement may show different figures.
Build an employment schedule that identifies each employer, location, start and finish date, duties and hours. This is especially useful if you changed jobs or combined roles. Check that any work being counted actually qualifies for the chosen pathway, and reconcile unexplained differences before submitting.
Plan around your own deadlines
The published Queensland framework includes a two-year living and working commitment after a 190 grant. It also excludes people who have applied for or hold subclass 491 or 489 from 190 nomination. Review your visa history before assuming you can switch pathways.
An EOI does not give you a bridging visa. Record your current visa expiry and the practical consequences of waiting for a future opening. If a job change, move or further course is being considered mainly for nomination, assess the risks before committing money or giving notice.
How we can help
Ausdirect can compare the relevant pathway with your occupation, location and employment evidence, identify unresolved requirements and plan the next step around your current visa. Selection remains at Migration Queensland’s discretion.
Questions to consider
Is the old 80-point Queensland threshold the current rule?
Do not rely on that historic figure. Use the relevant official pathway and any newly announced settings; eligibility still does not guarantee selection.
Your next step
Prepare your occupation code, EOI, Queensland residence and work dates, current visa expiry and any graduation details for an initial assessment.