Small business owners in regional Queensland
This pathway has enabled small business owners in regional Queensland to be nominated for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).
Program update
Migration Queensland has closed the small business owner’s pathway for Queensland nomination to new businesses from 19 September 2025 . This means that if you have purchased or started a business after 19 September 2025, you will not be invited to apply for Queensland nomination under this pathway.
If you have already purchased or started an eligible business before 19 September 2025, you may still be invited to apply for Queensland nomination in 2025-26. Please see the details below.
Pathway 1 – Business purchase
Business purchase date is the date the contract of sale was signed.
Businesses purchased after 19 September 2025
If your business was purchased after 19 September 2025, you will not be eligible to apply for Queensland nomination under this pathway.
Businesses purchased between 14 September 2024 and 19 September 2025
Business settlement must have occurred before 30 September 2025, including payment of the full business purchase price.
Both you and your business must be located in the September 2024 list of eligible postcodes:
4370-4390, 4400-4428, 4454-4498, 4570-4571, 4580-4895
Your 491 SBO Registration of Interest (ROI) must be submitted before 30 May 2026 to be eligible for Queensland nomination under this pathway. Only submit your ROI once you have met all the program requirements.
ROIs submitted more than 18 months after the date of settlement will not be eligible for Queensland nomination under this pathway.
Businesses purchased before 14 September 2024
Your business may be located in any subclass 491 eligible Queensland regional postcode.
Businesses settled before 1 July 2024 have until 31 December 2025 to submit your 491 SBO Registration of Interest (ROI). ROIs submitted after 31 December 2025 will not be eligible for Queensland nomination under this pathway.
Businesses settled after 1 July 2024 have 18 months from the date of settlement to submit your 491 SBO Registration of Interest (ROI). ROIs submitted more than 18 months after the date of settlement will not be eligible for Queensland nomination under this pathway.
Pathway 2 – Business start-up
Business start date is the date the SBO business was first registered.
Businesses started after 19 September 2025
If your business was started after 19 September 2025, you will not be eligible to apply for Queensland nomination under this pathway.
Businesses started between 1 June 2024 and 19 September 2025
Your business may be located in any subclass 491 eligible Queensland regional postcode.
You must submit your 491 SBO Registration of Interest (ROI) before 30 April 2027. If you started your business between 1 May 2025 and 19 September 2025, and cannot meet the requirement to operate your business for at least two years before submitting your ROI (by 30 April 2027), you will be given an exemption for the 2 years of operation requirement. You will still be required to be generating a profit and have a minimum turnover of $200,000 in the 12 months prior to submitting your ROI.
ROIs submitted after 30 April 2027 will not be eligible for Queensland nomination under this pathway.
Businesses started before 1 June 2024
Your business may be located in any subclass 491 eligible Queensland regional postcode.
You must submit your 491 SBO Registration of Interest before 30 May 2026 to be eligible for nomination before 30 June 2026.
ROIs submitted after 30 May 2026 will not be eligible for Queensland nomination under this pathway.
Who is this pathway for?
If you are a migrant currently living in and operating a small business in regional Queensland, that you either purchased or started before 19 September 2025, this pathway may provide you an option for Queensland nomination.
The 491 Small Business Owner (491 SBO) stream has two different pathways. You need to meet the criteria for either Pathway 1 or Pathway 2.
Pathway 1 – Business purchase
To be eligible for Pathway 1, you must purchase an existing registered business outside of South East Queensland for a minimum of $100,000 and employ at least 1 Australian resident.
Only submit your Registration of Interest (ROI) once you meet all program requirements.
Pathway 2 – Start-up business
To be eligible for Pathway 2, you must have started your own business and have continuously run that business for a minimum of 2 years.
Only submit your Registration of Interest (ROI) once your business is generating a profit and has a turnover of at least $200,000 in the twelve months prior to submitting.
Eligible Postcodes
As part of your visa conditions, you and your dependants must live, work and study in a regional area.
Pathway 1 – Business purchase
Businesses purchased after 14 September 2024 (date of contract) must be located in one of the following eligible postcodes:
4370-4390, 4400-4428, 4454-4498, 4570-4571, 4580-4895.
If you signed your contract of business purchase before 14 September 2024, then the full list of 491 regional postcodes is eligible:
4019–4022, 4025, 4037, 4074, 4076–4078, 4124–4125, 4133, 4183–4184, 4207–4275, 4280–4287, 4300–4301, 4303–4498, 4500–4512, 4514–4519, 4521, 4550–4575, 4580–4895.
Pathway 2 – Start-up business
Eligible postcodes include:
4019–4022, 4025, 4037, 4074, 4076–4078, 4124–4125, 4133, 4183–4184, 4207–4275, 4280–4287, 4300–4301, 4303–4498, 4500–4512, 4514–4519, 4521, 4550–4575, 4580–4895.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for Queensland nomination, you will need to meet the requirements of both the Australian Department of Home Affairs and Migration Queensland for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).
Australian Department of Home Affairs requirements
- have a points test result of 65 or higher, inclusive of state nomination points
- have a positive skills assessment in your nominated occupation
- be under 45 years of age
- have at least Competent English.
Migration Queensland requirements
Requirements for Pathway 1 and Pathway 2:
| Requirement | Eligibility |
|---|---|
Occupation | Have an occupation on the Legislative Instrument 19/051 (LIN19/051). |
Living in regional Queensland | Have evidence that you are living in regional Queensland in an eligible postcode. |
Location of business | Own and operate your business in an eligible postcode in regional Queensland. |
Ownership interest | Have evidence you own 100% of the business. 100% ownership is required since the business was purchased or started. |
| Additional requirements for Pathway 1 - Business purchase | |
|---|---|
| Requirement | Eligibility |
Time since purchase | Settlement of business purchase must have occurred less than 18 months before submitting your 491 SBO Registration of Interest. Businesses settled before 1 July 2024 have until 31 December 2025 to submit your 491 SBO Registration of Interest. |
Age and location of purchased business | The business must have been operating for a minimum of 2 years in its current location, immediately before purchase, and continue to operate in the same location. |
Price of purchased business | Have evidence you purchased your business for a minimum of $100,000. |
Operation of business | Have evidence you have been operating the business for a minimum of 6 months after settlement. The 6 months of operation does not start until 100% of the business purchase price is settled. You are required to submit 2 quarterly Business Activity Statements (BAS), where you have owned and operated the business for the entire period of the BAS. |
Australian employee/s | Have evidence of employing at least 1 Australian resident working a minimum of 20 hours per week, or 2 Australian residents working 10 hours each per week. Employees cannot be a family member or a subcontractor. An Australian resident for the purposes of the 491 SBO stream is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen residing in Australia on a Special Category visa (subclass 444). |
| Additional requirements for Pathway 2 - Start up business | |
|---|---|
| Requirement | Eligibility |
Operation of business and turnover | Have evidence of operating a profitable start-up for a minimum of 2 years, with a turnover of $200,000 in the 12 months prior to submitting your 491 SBO Registration of Interest. |
Important notes for the 491 SBO pathway:
- Your business must be purchased by a contract of sale. Share transfers do not meet the requirements.
- No vendor financing.
- Your business cannot be purchased from a family member or relative.
- You cannot purchase a business previously used as part of a visa application for migration purposes (i.e. 491, 188, 888 or 405 visa application).
- Your business cannot be relocated or sold without first receiving approval from Migration Queensland (prior to visa grant). Migration Queensland reserves the right to withdraw your state nomination if you do not follow this requirement.
- You must continue to operate your business until at least three years after the date you are granted your 491 visa. We may monitor your business operation to ensure this condition is met.
- If you are considering purchasing a franchise business, you must have the approval of the Master Franchise (franchisor) prior to purchasing.
Businesses not accepted under the 491 SBO stream include:
- Multiple businesses operating under the one ABN with combined financials/BAS. These businesses do not meet the requirements for this pathway.
- Passive investments (i.e. Management rights).
- Home-based businesses (including those with virtual offices).
- Commission agents or leasing agents of franchises (such as petrol stations).
- Daigou businesses.
Nomination and approval
Correctly applying for nomination does not guarantee you will receive a Queensland nomination or be granted an Australian visa. Nomination is granted at the discretion of the State of Queensland.
The final decision and timeframe on granting a visa is made by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Queensland takes no responsibility in the event your visa application is not approved by Home Affairs.
Eligibility for Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191)
To be eligible for the subclass 191 visa applicants must:
- Provide notices of assessment issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for three income years out of five years of your eligible visa.
- Have complied with the conditions of the regional provisional visa, including that the holder and any dependants must live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia.
Please refer to the Home Affairs website for additional eligibility criteria.
It is the duty of the visa holder to understand the criteria they need to meet on a subclass 491 to be eligible to apply for the subclass 191.
Migration Queensland takes no responsibility if an applicant does not meet subclass 191 visa requirements.
Register your interest in Queensland nomination
Submit your ROI in Queensland nomination by filling out the form below.
If we invite you to apply for Queensland nomination, you will need to show that the information provided in your ROI was correct at the time it was submitted.