Electrician in Queensland: state nomination, licensing, and the visa

Queensland's skilled occupation lists: onshore and offshore

Migration Queensland maintains two separate lists — a Queensland Onshore Skilled Occupation List and a Queensland Offshore Skilled Occupation List — and Electrician (General), code 341111, appears on both, flagged as eligible for both the subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) and subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) visas. On the onshore list the occupation also carries a third flag for the Building and Construction pathway. Both lists explicitly note against this code: "Licence required to work in Qld" — Queensland's own list is telling applicants up front that nomination eligibility and the right to actually work are two different things.

The Building and Construction nomination pathway

Migration Queensland runs a dedicated Building and Construction pathway for builders, tradespeople and construction workers, driven in part by demand around major infrastructure projects. Under this pathway, Migration Queensland states it will seek to nominate eligible building and construction workers for the subclass 190 visa wherever possible, and only use subclass 491 where the applicant does not meet Home Affairs' 190 requirements or where their occupation sits on the federal Regional Occupation List (which restricts them to 491 regardless). The stated minimum requirements are a score of at least 65 on the Department of Home Affairs points test, at least Competent English, and — specific to this pathway — having lived and worked in Queensland in the nominated occupation (or one sharing the first three ANZSCO digits) for the three months immediately before registering interest.

The Queensland electrical work licence

Electrical work in Queensland is regulated under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 by the Electrical Safety Office, part of WorkSafe Queensland within the Office of Industrial Relations. According to the government's own licence-fee register, an Electrical Work Licence is valid for 5 years and costs $97.15 to apply for, renew or reinstate (2026-27 fee); a duplicate certificate costs $38.19. Overseas-qualified applicants go through the same Trades Recognition Australia pathway used for the visa — an Offshore Skills Assessment or, for those already in Australia, the Job Ready Program — before the Electrical Safety Office will consider a licence application; the general shape of that pathway and the Australian wiring standards it tests against are covered in Migratio's dedicated electrician licensing guide (linked below), which is not repeated here.

Which visas actually reach this occupation

Electrician (General) sits on the federal MLTSSL and CSOL, which is why it reaches 189, 190, 491, 186, 482, 485 and 494 nationally — see /occupations/341111-electrician-general for the full current list. Queensland's own lists narrow that down to which of the state-nominated pathways (190/491) Queensland itself will actually consider, and under what conditions, as described above.

What Migratio does not do here

Migratio has no employer relationships in Queensland's construction or electrical trade sector, and nothing here implies a job is available. Migration Queensland's Building and Construction pathway is a state-government nomination programme with its own eligibility gate (including the 3-months'-QLD-residence-and-work condition above) — Migratio does not run it, assess against it, or guarantee a place in it. The job-interest waiting list some Migratio pages carry is exactly that: a waiting list, not a placement service.

Is Electrician (General) on Queensland's skilled occupation list?

Yes, on both the onshore and offshore lists, eligible for subclass 190 and 491 nomination, and flagged on the onshore list for the Building and Construction nomination pathway specifically.

How much does a Queensland electrical licence cost?

The Electrical Work Licence, valid for 5 years, currently costs $97.15 to apply for or renew (2026-27 fee), administered by the Electrical Safety Office under the Electrical Safety Act 2002.

What is Migration Queensland's Building and Construction pathway?

A dedicated nomination stream for builders, tradespeople and construction workers. It prioritises subclass 190 nomination over 491 unless the applicant can only meet Home Affairs' requirements for 491, and requires at least 65 points, Competent English, and 3 months' recent QLD residence and work in the occupation before registering interest.

Does state nomination give me a Queensland electrical licence?

No. State nomination is entirely separate from the electrical work licence. Both Queensland occupation lists say plainly that a licence is required to work as an electrician in the state, regardless of nomination or visa status.

Do I still need a TRA assessment if Queensland nominates me?

Yes. State nomination doesn't replace the Trades Recognition Australia skills assessment that both the visa and the licensing pathway rely on. See Migratio's TRA guide for how that assessment works.

Which visas can an electrician use for Queensland?

Nationally, Electrician (General) reaches 189, 190, 491, 186, 482, 485 and 494 through the MLTSSL/CSOL. Queensland's own nomination covers the 190 and 491 components of that list.