LifeinAus
Migration agents serving Brisbane
Reviewed by a registered migration agent ·
MARN 1795282
Updated
Brisbane is a Category 1 “major city” for migration, so it sits outside the regional 491 and 494 visas — but the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast are Category 2 regional areas. Queensland nominates skilled workers for the 190 and 491 through Migration Queensland’s State Nominated Migration Program, which at 5 October 2026 was closed while Queensland awaited its 2026–27 settings. Employer sponsorship through the 482 and 186 is open year-round.
Brisbane at a glance · checked 5 October 2026
- State nomination
- Queensland State Nominated Migration Program (Migration Queensland)
- 2026–27 status
- Closed at 5 October 2026; awaiting 2026–27 allocation
- Regional for visas?
- No — Category 1 (major city)
- DAMA
- None covering Brisbane (QLD has two regional DAMAs)
- Our service
- Remote by phone and video · based in Sydney, serving all of Australia
State nomination in Queensland
Migration Queensland runs separate pathways for skilled workers living in Queensland, skilled workers living offshore, graduates of a Queensland university, building and construction workers, and — for the 491 only — small business owners operating in regional Queensland. It publishes separate onshore and offshore Queensland Skilled Occupation Lists (QSOL), and you register interest through a Registration of Interest (ROI).
For 2025–26, Queensland received 2,600 places — 1,850 for the 190 and 750 for the 491 — which Migration Queensland described as more than double the previous year’s allocation, with a focus on shortages in construction, healthcare and manufacturing.
Status at 5 October 2026: ROIs for 2025–26 had closed, and Migration Queensland said it was awaiting advice from the Australian Government on future program settings, including allocations. Eligibility requirements and the opening date will be published on its website.
Official program page: Queensland State Nominated Migration Program (Migration Queensland). Nomination is decided by the state or territory, and meeting the criteria does not guarantee an invitation or a visa.
Is Brisbane “regional” for visa purposes?
Category 1 — Major Cities (no regional incentives). Home Affairs sorts every Australian postcode into three categories. Category 2 and 3 areas are “designated regional areas”, where the 491 and 494 visas apply and which lead to the 191 permanent visa.
No. Brisbane is Category 1, with Sydney and Melbourne. The Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast are Category 2 (“cities and major regional centres”), and Toowoomba, Townsville, Cairns and the rest of regional Queensland are Category 3.
The boundary isn’t simply the city limits. Home Affairs lists some outer postcodes around Brisbane — for example in parts of the Moreton Bay and Ipswich areas — as Category 2 for visas granted from 5 March 2022. If you live near the edge of Brisbane, check your postcode on the Home Affairs list.
Employer sponsorship in Brisbane
Brisbane employers sponsor through the 482 and 186. The 494 is available to employers on the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and in regional Queensland, but not for jobs in Brisbane’s Category 1 postcodes. See our employer guides for costs and obligations. We advise and lodge; we don’t find workers or sponsors.
Is there a DAMA in Brisbane?
No DAMA covers Brisbane. Queensland’s DAMAs on the Home Affairs list are Far North Queensland (represented by the Cairns Chamber of Commerce) and Townsville (represented by Townsville Enterprise Limited). They apply to employers in those regions only.
How we work with clients in Brisbane
Brisbane clients work with us by phone and video, with documents exchanged and lodged online. A common Brisbane question is whether a move to the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast would open up regional options; we can work through the visa side of that decision with you, so you can weigh it against your work and family plans.
Registered migration agents are regulated federally, so our registration (MARN 1795282) covers advice and lodgement in Brisbane and anywhere else in Australia. Every case is assessed on its own facts; we can’t promise an invitation, nomination or visa outcome.
Visas most relevant in Brisbane
- Skilled Nominated visa (190) — Queensland nomination, permanent
- Skilled Work Regional visa (491) — Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast or regional QLD
- Skilled Independent visa (189) — Points-tested, independent
- Skills in Demand visa (482) — Employer-sponsored, temporary
- Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Employer-sponsored, permanent
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (494) — Regional employers only — not Brisbane
Also see partner visas, student visas and our free tools.
Brisbane migration FAQs
Is Queensland state nomination open for 2026–27?
Not as at 5 October 2026. Migration Queensland said 2025–26 Registrations of Interest had closed and it was awaiting advice from the Australian Government on 2026–27 settings, including allocations. Check the Migration Queensland website for the opening date.
Does the Gold Coast count as regional for the 491?
Yes. The Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast are Category 2 designated regional areas, so a 491 holder can live and work there. Brisbane itself is Category 1 and does not qualify.
Can a small business owner get Queensland nomination?
Migration Queensland has a 491 pathway for small business owners operating in regional Queensland. It does not apply to businesses in Brisbane. Check the current criteria once the 2026–27 program opens.
Is there a DAMA in Brisbane?
No. Queensland’s DAMAs cover Far North Queensland and Townsville. Brisbane employers use the standard 482 and 186 programs, or another labour agreement where one applies.
Sources
Last checked: . Program settings change during the year, so confirm the current position on the official pages below before acting.
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