Already reeling from a slew of changes in the state nomination rules for skilled migration by some states, the slope for migrants aspiring to be permanent residents just got steeper.
Just weeks after Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory changed tightened the state nomination criteria, now Queensland has followed suit, banning interstate applicants.
According to the updated policy, interstate applicants seeking state nomination from Queensland have to meet ‘Working in Queensland’ or ‘Alumni pathway criteria’.
This means people seeking to apply for the state nomination will have to move to Queensland and meet the work experience requirements in the state before they can submit an expression of interest to Business & Migration Queensland.
Applicants are required to provide evidence of post-qualification full-time employment in their nominated occupation in the past six months in Queensland.
They must also commit to living and working in Queensland for two years after they are granted a visa.
Students who have completed their master’s degree in Queensland in the last two years are required to nominate an occupation from the QSOL Masters Graduate List, whereas PhD graduates can nominate an occupation from the Department of Home Affair’s relevant lists.
Masters degree graduates must have completed their course at a Queensland-based institution in the previous two years and the qualification must be related to the nominated occupation.
They are also required to provide evidence of current full-time employment in their nominated or closely related occupation with a Queensland employer registered in Australia, besides evidence of ongoing employment for the next 12 months.
PhD graduates are exempted from the requirement of a job offer.
Last month, Tasmania changed the work experience requirements for state nomination applicants and the ACT closed down some occupations, leaving many aspiring visa applicants high and dry.
