Key points:
- In order to meet critical skills needs in Queensland, the state government is seeking higher quotas for state-nominated visas
- Graduates from Queensland universities, as well as those operating small businesses in regional Queensland, will have specific residency pathways
- All skilled applicants, including offshore applicants, will be eligible to apply for Queensland's migration program this year
Migration Queensland, the state government’s agency responsible for business and skilled visas, says this year's Skilled Migration Program will focus on securing skilled migrants from onshore and offshore to address skills needs not being met by the local labour market.
Skilled migrants in a broad range of occupations will be eligible for state nomination, according to the agency.
“There will also be specific pathways for graduates of a Queensland university, and small business owners operating in regional Queensland,” a spokesperson from Migration Queensland told SBS Hindi.
“In 2022–23 Queensland’s Business Innovation and Investment Migration Program will increase investment in Queensland’s business sector," the spokesperson said.
"Applications will be sought in all streams including the Entrepreneur stream. Queensland-specific criteria will apply to encourage innovative start-ups that will enhance our innovation ecosystem,” the spokesperson further added.
Small business owners in regional Queensland will have pathways under the state migration program this year. Source: BeyondImages/Getty Images
Queensland’s Business and Skilled Migration Program for 2022–23 is anticipated to formally open when the Australian Department of Home Affairs provides the Queensland Government with a nomination quota in 2022–23.
The agency is expected to publish the new Migration Queensland criteria soon once it receives the allocation.
According to the spokesperson, the state government has requested that Queensland receive a higher quota of state-nominated visas in 2022–23 than in previous years, in a bid to allow more migrants to be nominated to meet critical skills needs.
Sydney-based migration expert Nishant Sharma says the new program will open up a lot of avenues for many applicants.
"With the specific pathways, graduates currently studying in the states can be assured that they will benefit from the new program." Mr Sharma told SBS Hindi.
For small business owners like Sanith Sura who want to stay in the country, this year's program comes as welcoming news.
Sanith Sura is a small business owner in regional Queensland. Source: Sanith Sura
"I'm sure that the new program will make permanent residency pathways much easier but I'm also concerned about the long processing times for visas," Mr Sura, who currently has a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491, said.
The federal government has kept the ceiling for permanent Migration Program 2022-23 at 160,000 places within which the skill stream has been allocated 109,900 seats, more than 30,000 places above 2021-22 planning levels.
