By now, policies across most states have become clear. For applicants who do not want to compete on points, English scores, or work experience, and who find migration particularly difficult —difficult to migrate— for example:accounting graduates,the small business migration pathwayhas become the top choice for many.

Last financial year, Canberra also introduced its own small business stream, which is still relatively new to many people. Today we compare theQueensland small businessandCanberra small businesspathways and explain which type of applicant each suits best.

QueenslandSmall Business .491/

Let’s start with the Queensland Subclass 491 Small Business pathway~

Requirements for applicants:

First, applicants must meet the basic eligibility requirements for the Subclass 491, including:

– A bare EOI score of at least 50 points,

– A skills assessment in an occupation on the Department’s eligible occupation list for the Subclass 491,

– Age under 45, and English proficiency at least at Competent English level (equivalent to IELTS 6 in all four bands; PTE is also accepted).

Requirements for the business:

– The contract price of the business must be at least AUD 100,000, and the applicant must hold 100% ownership.

– Businesses purchased after 1 April 2021 must have been in operation for at least two years; businesses purchased before that date must have been in operation for at least one year.

– The business must have been operating for at least six months prior to lodging the EOI.

– The applicant must hold a visa withfull-time work rights(at least 35 hours per week) and operate the business on a full-time basis. The state government has also indicated that student visa primary applicants are not permitted to run a small business during their period of study.

– The business must be located in a regional area of Queensland;5 March 2022onwards,frombusinesses may be located in the following postcodes.

5 March 2022beforestartbusinesses must be located in the following postcodes.

– The applicant must employ at least one local resident — a local resident may be an Australian citizen or PR holder, or a New Zealand citizen holding a Subclass 444 visa — working at least 20 hours per week.

– The business type must not have been previously used for a Subclass 491 small business application. Share transfers are not permitted, nor is vendor financing. The business cannot be a commission agent or leasing agent of a franchise, and the business cannot be home-based.

– After the visa is granted, the applicant must continue operating the business in a regional area for at least three years.

In addition to the above, applicants may purchase an existing business or establish a new one to obtain the Subclass 491 visa.

New start-up (business creation) option added

– Queensland added a start-up (new business creation) option last financial year, broadening eligibility beyond the previous requirement of purchasing an existing business.

– A start-up business must have been operating for at least two years prior to lodging the EOI, and must have an annual turnover of at least AUD 200,000.

The above outlines some key information about the Queensland Subclass 491 Small Business pathway. If you have questions about the Queensland Subclass 491 Small Business pathway, feel free to scan the QR code to get in touch!

Newstars recent Queensland Small Business Subclass 491 invitation case studies

Successfully granted after receiving a Queensland Small Business Subclass 491 invitation

In addition to the Queensland Subclass 491 Small Business pathway, another highly regarded small business programme is the Canberra Subclass 491/190 Small Business pathway! Let’s take a closer look today~

Canberra Small Business .190/491/

Canberra launched its own small business stream last financial year. The biggest difference from the Queensland small business pathway is thatmost migration occupations in Canberra can obtain a Subclass 190 through the small business stream,includingaccounting, ICT occupations such as ANZSCO 2611/2613/2631, and otherhighly competitive occupations

Canberra small business invitation scores are lower

One of the most distinctive features of ACT state nomination is that it uses its own Matrix scoring system. The EOI score only needs to meet 65 points, and invitations are issued based on Canberra’s own Matrix scoring table from highest to lowest. The invitation scores for each occupation in each round are published promptly on the official website — very transparent.Furthermore, whether for the 190 or 491 stream, the Matrix invitation scores for the small business pathway are considerably lower than those for the general stream.

Taking accounting as an example:The general onshore applicant stream typically requires a Matrix score of 110–130 to receive a Subclass 190 invitation, whereasthe small business stream has recently been stable at 95 points for an invitationThe state government indicated at the start of the financial year that it expects the small business stream’sSubclass 190 to ultimately return to the 85-point invitation level.

Advantages in business requirements:

The Canberra small business pathway also has its own advantages compared to Queensland, for example:

– No initial investment amount requirement; applicants may purchase or take a shareholding stake

– No visa restriction on applicants —student visa holders may also participate

– A dedicated stream, separate from competition with other streams

Basic requirements for ACT state nomination:

The applicant’s occupation must appear on any migration occupation list, a skills assessment is required, IELTS of at least 7 in all four bands (for ANZSCO Skill Level 1 and 2 occupations), a Matrix score of at least 65 points, and the Subclass 190 invitation score is expected to be 85 or above in the current financial year.

Business requirements are as follows:

– The business must be registered and operating in the ACT

– The applicant must hold 51% or more of the shares

– After acquiring equity, the business must achieve a turnover of AUD 200,000 across four complete quarters (Subclass 190) or AUD 100,000 across two complete quarters (Subclass 491)

– There is an income requirement for the applicant: at least AUD 26,000 over a minimum of six months (Subclass 190) or at least AUD 13,000 over a minimum of three months (Subclass 491)

– At least one local employee must be hired for no fewer than 13 weeks, working at least 20 hours per week; hours may be aggregated

Newstars recent Canberra Small Business Subclass 190 success cases

Multiple accounting applicants obtain Subclass 190 through the small business pathway

The above outlines the Canberra Subclass 491/190 Small Business pathway. If you would like to know more, feel free to send us a message~

Our recommendations:

Overall, both the Queensland Subclass 491 Small Business pathway and the Canberra Subclass 491/190 Small Business pathway have their own distinct features and advantages. You can choose based on your own circumstances. If you are still unsure, consider the following suggestions:

– Ifyou prefer Queensland and do not want to relocate to another stateand don’t want to worry about accumulating pointsthen the Queensland Subclass 491 Small Business pathway is a better fit!

– Ifyou want to fast-track directly to a Subclass 190 permanent residencywithout delay, and want to go to a state where invitations are stable and transparent, then choose the Canberra Subclass 190 Small Business pathway!

If you are still undecided,

we welcome you to join the

Small Business Migration Seminar on 13 September!

BrisbaneIn-person+ZoomOnline,simultaneous sessions

Newstars Brisbane is pleased to invite the Canberra officeBranch Manager and MARA-registered migration agent Victor LINto present in person. He will answer questions for applicants in ‘difficult-to-migrate’ fields such as accounting, and provide professional advice comparing both pathways!

Both in-person and online attendance are available, so there is no location restriction!

Interested attendees are welcome to scan the QR code to register!

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Application documents misinterpreted and PR at risk of refusal → Newstars successfully argued the case and the visa was granted!

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Study-to-migration: there’s a dark horse state nomination stream with no work experience requirement!

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