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

Queensland's skilled occupation lists: onshore and offshore

Plumber (General), code 334111, appears on both Migration Queensland's onshore and offshore skilled occupation lists, flagged eligible for both the subclass 491 and subclass 190 visa, and — on the onshore list — also flagged for the Building and Construction nomination pathway (the same pathway described in Migratio's electrician-Queensland page: it prioritises 190 nomination over 491 where the applicant meets Home Affairs' 190 requirements, requires at least 65 points and Competent English, and asks for 3 months' recent Queensland residence and work in the occupation before registering interest). Both Queensland lists flag Plumber (General) explicitly with the note "licence required to work in Qld."

The QBCC provisional licence pathway for overseas-qualified plumbers

QBCC's own published eligibility page for its occupational plumber and drainer licences sets out when it will grant a provisional licence — one of the stated scenarios is exactly the overseas-qualified case: 'you hold a current licence from interstate or another country.' A provisional licence is granted for 1 year, cannot be renewed, and the holder must work under the supervision of someone who holds the full occupational licence for that work. QBCC states that after 1 year of holding the provisional licence with the required qualifications and 12 months of supervised licensed experience, the person may apply for a full occupational licence.

QBCC's other listed grounds for a provisional licence cover a slightly different set of gaps — having the qualification without enough practical experience, or having practical experience without the formal qualification — which matters because it means the overseas pathway is one specific, named route among several, not a generic fallback.

QBCC plumbing licence fees (2026-27)

QBCC increases its fees on 1 July each year in line with legislative requirements; the 2026-27 figures, with the $80.90 annual administration fee included, are: Plumber (1 year) $248.75, Drainer (1 year) $248.75, Plumber & Drainer combined (1 year) $416.61, Restricted licence (1 year) $184.74, Provisional plumber or provisional drainer (1 year, the overseas/interstate route above) $158.74, and Provisional plumber & full drainer $326.59. The $80.90 admin fee is payable once per financial year per licensee — it is not charged again if the person applies for a second plumbing-related licence in the same year.

Which visas actually reach this occupation

Nationally, Plumber (General) sits on the MLTSSL and CSOL, reaching 189, 190, 491, 186, 482, 485 and 494 — full detail at /occupations/334116-plumber-general. Queensland's state nomination, described above, covers the 190 and 491 legs of that list.

What Migratio does not do here

Migratio has no employer relationships in Queensland's plumbing trade and does not place candidates in jobs. QBCC's provisional licence and Migration Queensland's Building and Construction pathway are both separately administered government processes — Migratio does not decide either outcome, and the job-interest waiting list carried on some Migratio pages is a waiting list, not a hiring channel.

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

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

Can an overseas-licensed plumber get a QBCC provisional licence?

Yes — QBCC explicitly names "you hold a current licence from interstate or another country" as a scenario where it will grant a 1-year, non-renewable provisional licence, worked under the supervision of a fully licensed plumber.

How much does a QBCC plumber licence cost?

For 2026-27: a full 1-year Plumber licence is $248.75 (with the annual $80.90 admin fee included); a Provisional plumber licence is $158.74. Fees rise each 1 July under QBCC's own schedule.

What happens after the provisional plumbing licence year?

QBCC states the holder may apply for a full occupational licence after 1 year holding the provisional licence with the required qualification, plus 12 months of supervised licensed experience — the full licence is a separate application, not automatic.

Does state nomination let me work as a plumber in Queensland?

No. Nomination is a visa-pathway decision by Migration Queensland; the right to actually do plumbing and drainage work is a separate QBCC licence.

Which visas can a plumber use for Queensland?

Nationally, 189, 190, 491, 186, 482, 485 and 494, via the MLTSSL/CSOL. Queensland's own nomination programme covers the 190 and 491 pathways.