This yearQueensland state nominationhas been open for nearly two months,
Queensland small businesshas been the standout performer:
Invitations have been fast, with the quickest applicant submitting only2 weeksbefore receiving an invitation,3 daysto process and approve the nomination materials;
invitation scores have been low,65 pointsclients are being invited with ease
…
This shows that small business migration remains the most reliable pathway to Queensland right now.
Whether you’re
unable to pass the skills assessment,
struggling to reach a high points score,
lacking relevant work experience,
or running out of time on your Subclass 485,
we will do everything we can to find a solution for you
Worth noting: through several phone conversations with the state government,the state has received 150+ small business EOIs since the nomination programme opened, with a large number still under review.Furthermore, with Queensland’s borders reopening last week, more clients from New South Wales, Victoria, and other states are expected to come to Queensland to set up small businesses, so preparation and submission should both besooner rather than later!
Today, migration consultant Zoe presents to all those considering small business migration to Queensland【A brief overview of Queensland small business】+【A summary of current invitation outcomes】
Queensland Small Business — Overview
● Basic Requirements
First, applicants must meet the 【basic eligibility criteria】 for the Queensland Subclass 491 small business stream, including:
–A base EOI score of at least 50 points,
-A skills assessment for an occupation on the Department of Home Affairs’ Subclass 491 occupation list,
-Aged under 45, with English proficiency at least at the competent English level (equivalent to IELTS 6 in each band)
● Additional Requirements
The updated Queensland state authority has released the latest 【additional conditions】 for the Queensland Subclass 491 small business stream:
-The purchase price of the business must be no less than AUD$100,000,and must be 100% ownership.
– Businesses purchased after 1 April 2021 must have been in existence for 2 years; businesses purchased before that date must have been in existence for 1 year.
-The business must have been in operation for at least 6 months prior to submitting the EOI.
-Applicants must hold a visa that permits full-time work (at least 35 hours per week) and must operate the business on a full-time basis — this means visas such as the student visa that restrict the primary applicant’s work hours are not eligible.
-The business must be located in a regional area of Queensland and cannot be home-based.
-Must employ at least one local Australian resident — this may be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen holding a Subclass 444 visa — working a minimum of 20 hours per week.
The latest addition this financial year:
Start-up businesses
●
This programme round has also introduced start-up businesses, broadening the scope beyond the previous requirement to purchase an existing business.Start-up businesses must have been in operation for at least two years prior to submitting the EOI, and must have an annual turnover of no less than AUD$200,000.
If you’d like to learn more about the eligibility requirements, feel free to add me for a chat~
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Accounting IELTS 8 out of reach — cross-state small business migration, a new approach
Client NA new approach: cross-state small business migration, successfully granted
Client background:
A Monash University undergraduate accounting graduate who worked as an intern at an accounting firm in Victoria after graduating. Originally aiming for accounting stream migration, but was unable to achieve 8 in all four bands on the PTE, making that pathway unviable.While looking for a Plan B, they came to us and pursued Queensland small business migration, and after dedicated effort over a period of time, received an invitation.
EOI score: 60+15
Nominated occupation:Accountant (General) -221111
Business operated:The client currently operates a Chinese restaurant on the Gold Coast and had been running it for 7 months at the time of invitation.
Social work student plans ahead while still studying
Client C,Invited with just 65 points: planning and preparation while still at university
Client background:
A Master of Social Work graduate from Griffith University.In their second year of study, they became aware of Queensland’s small business migration policy,and since they were already studying in Queensland, scouting businesses was convenient. After several discussions with us, they made the decision to pursue Queensland small business migration.
In their final semester of the master’s programme, they had already identified the shop they intended to purchase,and used the time in their final semester to methodically complete the business purchase process(the purchase process is actually quite complex, taking around 3–5 months in total, so their early action saved them a significant amount of time).
Furthermore, although Client C graduated from a social work programme, they did not pursue a social work skills assessment, as they did not want to spend time achieving 7 in all four IELTS bands.Since the small business stream only requires applicants to hold a skills assessment, we recommended using their social work qualification to obtain a community worker skills assessment,which also opens up another pathway for social work graduates who cannot achieve 7 in all four IELTS bands.
EOI score: 50+15
Nominated occupation:Community worker – 411711
Business operated:The client currently operates a café on the Gold Coast and had been running it for 8 months at the time of invitation.
Finance graduate + accounting bridging course, skills assessment obtained quickly
Client Y,4-month accounting bridging course, skills assessment secured, small business invitation granted
Client background:
A Master of Finance graduate from the University of Queensland. Following graduation, they planned to pursue Queensland small business migration. Since the finance occupation requires one year of industry work experience to pass the skills assessment — a significant hurdle for international students — we advised Client Yto obtain a skills assessment quickly through an accounting bridging course. Since Client Y already had a business background, they completed the bridging course in just 4 months,and successfully obtained an accounting skills assessment. During the bridging course, they also purchased a massage business on the Gold Coast.
EOI score: 70+15
Nominated occupation:Accountant (General) -221111
Business operated:The client currently operates a massage business on the Gold Coast and had been running it for 6.5 months at the time of invitation.
Subclass 485 nearly expired — creative visa extension leads to successful invitation
Client Z,Subclass 485 nearly exhausted — partner enrols in study, Queensland small business proceeds smoothlyand an invitation is granted
Client background:
Client Z and her husband relocated from Melbourne to Queensland, beginning to research Queensland small business migration in late 2020, and ultimately decided to purchase a fast food business in the Gold Coast area. Client Z is a Master of Accounting graduate from RMIT, holding accounting work experience and an 8-in-all-bands PTE score, but with accounting migration points far out of reach, they made the swift decision to switch to Queensland.However, both had already used their Subclass 485 visas and didn’t have enough time remaining to operate a business for the required 6 months, so we helped the secondary applicant enrol in a straightforward master’s programme, allowing their partner to focus on full-time operation of the small business.
EOI score: 80+15
Nominated occupation:Accountant (General) -221111
Business operated:The client operates a fast food business on the Gold Coast and had been running it for 9 months at the time of invitation.
A decisive move to seize a window of opportunity
During a brief interstate border opening, a decisive cross-state relocation leads to a successful invitation
Client background: Client Y is an engineering undergraduate graduate from the University of New South Wales. As engineering graduates can proceed directly to a skills assessment upon graduation, Client Y completed the skills assessment as their first step after finishing their degree.Before New South Wales was designated a hotspot, Queensland briefly opened its borders to NSW residents, and Client Y seized the opportunity to relocate to Queensland and begin searching for a business.Because Queensland managed COVID-19 well, retail and hospitality businesses have maintained solid trading conditions — making them strong options for small business migration.
EOI score: 65+15
Nominated occupation:Chemical Engineer- 233111
Business operated:The client operates a Kebab shop on the Gold Coast and had been running it for 7.5 months at the time of invitation
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However, looking at all the invitation cases since the state nomination programme opened one month ago,the rumour that had previously circulated — ‘the state government is no longer inviting Gold Coast businesses’ — has been thoroughly debunked, as all of our invited small businesses are operating on the Gold Coast.Similarly, some clients had heard the claim that ‘because so many people are doing small business, invitations are now ranked by points score’ — the actual data makes a mockery of this, as our 65-point client was in fact the first to receive an invitation.It’s clear that a large number of accounting applicants have begun considering small business migration — it’s no exaggeration to say this may become the go-to pathway for accounting migrants in the future.
We currently have several more small business clients whose nomination materials are still under review, or who are still awaiting an invitation — with 150+ cases, the state government will be kept busy for quite some time.
SHOPPING
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So, whatever migration difficulty you may be facing:
Whether you can’t pass the skills assessment, can’t reach a high enough points score, lack relevant work experience, or have exhausted your Subclass 485 — we will do everything we can to find a solution for you.
Scan the QR code anytime to speak with consultant Zoe and learn more about Queensland small business migration.
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