International Buyers in Queensland 2026: Which Nationalities Are Buying and Where
A client calls from Singapore. They want a Gold Coast apartment — off the plan, ocean views, sub-$2 million. They need FIRB approval, they want to settle in AUD, and they are asking whether they can buy an established house on the hinterland as well. If you handle the call confidently, you write the contract. If you fumble the compliance questions, they hang up and find someone else.
International buyers in Queensland 2026 represent a genuinely significant slice of the new-build and off-the-plan market — and understanding exactly who is buying, where they are buying, and why their purchasing power has shifted under the current regulatory environment is not optional knowledge for any agent working south-east Queensland.
Who Is Buying: The Dominant Nationalities
ATO data shows mainland China investors are the largest group of foreign owners in Australia, followed by residents of Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom. That national ranking holds broadly across Queensland, though the mix shifts meaningfully depending on the precinct — Brisbane inner-north attracts different buyer profiles than Broadbeach or Hope Island.
According to the latest quarterly FIRB report covering 1 April to 30 June 2025, China remained the leading country in residential investment with the highest number of approved proposals. Of the 907 approved residential proposals worth $1.3 billion nationally, China accounted for $0.3 billion, Taiwan $0.2 billion, Vietnam $0.1 billion, and India $0.1 billion. These are national figures, but they reflect the pattern agents are experiencing on the ground in Queensland: the buyer pool is predominantly East and South-East Asian, with a notable and growing South Asian component.
What has changed in 2026 compared with the pre-COVID era is the composition within that Asian buyer group. Mainland Chinese buyers remain the dominant force by volume and value, but the flow has matured — fewer speculative off-the-plan bulk purchases by investment consortia, more family-linked transactions where Australian permanent residency or student visa status intersects with property ownership. Vietnamese-Australian and Indian-Australian communities are increasingly active in the Brisbane suburban market, often as permanent residents rather than foreign persons, which changes the compliance picture entirely.
Mainland Chinese Buyers
Mainland Chinese buyers concentrate heavily in Brisbane’s inner suburbs — Sunnybank, Runcorn, Eight Mile Plains — and in Gold Coast high-rise apartment projects. The purchasing motivations are layered: capital preservation offshore, education proximity (private schools and universities), and in some cases pre-immigration staging where a family member is on a student or skilled migration pathway.
The established dwelling ban that has applied since 1 April 2025 has redirected this buyer cohort sharply toward new builds and off-the-plan product. From 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029, foreign persons are banned from purchasing established dwellings in Australia unless a limited exception applies — the government having extended the ban, which was originally due to end on 31 March 2027. For agents, this is the single most operationally important fact when working with mainland Chinese enquiries: the conversation begins and ends with new build and off-the-plan stock.
Singaporean and Hong Kong Buyers
Singaporean buyers are the second most active group in Queensland’s international market, and their purchasing behaviour is distinctly different from mainland Chinese buyers. Singapore-based purchasers tend to target lifestyle-driven assets — prestige houses on the Gold Coast, acreage in the Scenic Rim, and Sunshine Coast hinterland properties — and they often arrive with a long-term migration intention attached to the purchase. The AUD/SGD exchange rate has generally favoured Queensland real estate for Singaporean buyers, reinforcing value perception for assets already considered affordable relative to Singapore’s domestic market.
Hong Kong buyers share a similar profile to Singaporeans in terms of lifestyle motivation, and Queensland has seen sustained interest from this group since 2020. Many Hong Kong purchasers are acquiring for a future principal residence as part of a broader migration pathway and are acutely interested in property that qualifies for owner-occupier status under FIRB conditions. Agents should note that if a foreign person is purchasing a property jointly with an Australian citizen or permanent resident — or a New Zealand citizen — as joint tenants and they are in a spousal relationship, they may be exempt from FIRB approval. This exception is relevant precisely for the Hong Kong and Singaporean buyer who is married to an Australian resident.
Vietnamese and Indian Buyers
Vietnam ranks consistently in the top five approved residential investment nationalities for Australia, and Queensland captures a meaningful share of that activity, driven partly by the large Vietnamese diaspora in South-East Queensland. The distinction between foreign buyers and Australian permanent residents of Vietnamese background is operationally important — the latter are not foreign persons under FIRB and do not attract AFAD. When an enquiry comes through from a Vietnamese national currently based in Ho Chi Minh City, the compliance obligations are clear. When the enquiry comes from a Vietnamese-Australian permanent resident in Darra or Inala, none of those obligations apply.
India is the fastest-growing source of inbound property interest across Queensland, driven by the dramatic scale of Indian migration to South-East Queensland over the past five years. Again, most active Indian-background buyers in Brisbane’s western and southern suburbs are permanent residents or citizens — not foreign persons. The FIRB and AFAD framework applies to Indian nationals purchasing from India or on temporary visas, a smaller but growing segment as Indian investor interest in Queensland new developments increases.
New Zealand Buyers
New Zealand citizens deserve specific mention because their status under Australian property law is frequently misunderstood. New Zealand citizens with a Subclass 444 visa may be exempt from FIRB and AFAD in certain cases. This creates a materially different transaction experience compared to other non-resident foreign buyers. NZ buyers are active across the full Queensland market — houses, units, established and new — and do not face the same product restrictions as other foreign persons. Agents regularly misclassify NZ buyers as subject to the full foreign buyer compliance stack; understanding the exemption prevents unnecessary friction and misdirected advice.
United Kingdom and European Buyers
British buyers have historically been drawn to Queensland as a lifestyle and semi-retirement destination, particularly the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. This cohort is relatively price-insensitive at the top end and often purchasing with a medium-term migration intention. The post-Brexit environment and relative AUD weakness against the British pound have reinforced Queensland’s value proposition for UK buyers. European buyers — primarily German, Swiss, and Dutch nationals — are a smaller but consistent presence in the prestige hinterland and coastal acreage segment.
Where International Buyers Are Buying
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is Queensland’s premier destination for international buyer activity and has been for decades. Compared to Sydney and Melbourne, the Gold Coast continues to offer relative affordability, a price gap attracting a diverse range of buyers including interstate investors seeking stronger rental yields. International buyers, particularly from Asia, respond to the same fundamentals — the AUD-denominated price point represents genuine value relative to comparable premium coastal stock in Singapore, Hong Kong, or Shanghai.
The apartment story on the Gold Coast deserves special mention. With median house prices now above $1.3 million, buyers who cannot stretch to a house are targeting units aggressively, and there is not enough supply to meet demand. The development pipeline has shifted — developers now build predominantly two and three-bedroom, owner-occupier style apartments with larger floor plates rather than the one-bedroom investor product that used to dominate the Gold Coast market.
This shift in product type is directly relevant to international buyers, who under the current established dwelling ban are largely confined to purchasing new stock. The transition toward larger, higher-quality apartment product in suburbs like Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach, and Southport aligns well with what Asian buyers — particularly Singaporean and Hong Kong purchasers — actually want: a liveable, well-located apartment they could occupy or that would hold yield and long-term capital value.
According to SQM Research, vacancy rates across Australia sit at approximately 1.2%, with the Gold Coast experiencing similarly tight rental conditions and a direct driver of rental growth. Asking rents rose approximately 8–10% through 2025. At a city level, gross rental yields average around 5.3% for units and 4.1% for houses. These yield figures are material to the foreign investor conversation — they justify the AFAD and FIRB costs in the context of a medium-to-long hold strategy.
Brisbane Inner Suburbs and Inner South
Brisbane’s inner-south — Sunnybank Hills, Eight Mile Plains, Runcorn, Robertson — is the epicentre of mainland Chinese buyer activity in Queensland. These are established community clusters with Mandarin-language infrastructure: schools, restaurants, grocery networks, and community associations. Foreign investors purchasing new apartment or townhouse product in this zone tend to be buying into a tenancy market they understand and a community in which their property will be well-maintained and well-rented.
The inner-north and inner-west — Chermside, Lutwyche, Nundah — are attracting increasing Vietnamese and Indian buyer interest, both from permanent residents and from overseas investors targeting proximity to QUT and the University of Queensland. Reports show median dwelling values in Brisbane surpassing the $1 million threshold, with strong annual capital gains for both houses and units. For international buyers, crossing the $1 million mark changes the FIRB fee calculation significantly and should be factored into purchase price negotiations.
Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast is the preferred Queensland destination for UK, European, and New Zealand buyers — and increasingly for Singaporean and Hong Kong buyers with a lifestyle-oriented rather than purely investment-oriented rationale. The relative affordability compared to the Gold Coast, combined with a strong sense of coastal village character and excellent private schooling, positions the Sunshine Coast as an aspirational family lifestyle market for international buyers with longer-term migration intentions.
Off-the-plan townhouse and house-and-land product in suburbs like Bokarina, Bokarina Beach, Aura, and Birtinya has attracted strong international enquiry. These projects, developed with foreign buyer FIRB exemption certificates in place, allow agents to move quickly with compliant overseas purchasers.
Regional Queensland
The regional Queensland property market has experienced significant growth in recent years expected to continue into 2026. As more people seek affordable living options outside major cities like Brisbane, the demand for regional properties is rising, with investors turning their attention to cities like Cairns, Toowoomba, and the Sunshine Coast. For international buyers, Cairns warrants particular mention: it is the only regional Queensland city with meaningful direct Asian buyer activity, driven by its position as a tourism gateway and by Chinese and Taiwanese investment in tourist accommodation and residential property.
The Cost Stack: What International Buyers Actually Pay
Every agent working with international buyers needs to understand the full cost-of-entry picture — because the buyer’s financial adviser in Singapore or Hong Kong will have calculated it, and your knowledge of the numbers builds trust immediately.
If you’re dealing with foreign buyers in Queensland property, you cannot afford to misunderstand AFAD and FIRB. These are two separate legal regimes — one state, one federal — and together they can add tens of thousands of dollars to a transaction or stop it altogether.
AFAD — Additional Foreign Acquirer Duty: AFAD is an extra 8% of duty that applies to transactions liable for transfer duty, landholder duty, or corporate trustee duty. On a $1 million property, that is $80,000 in AFAD alone.
FIRB application fees: From April 2024, FIRB application fees tripled. For properties up to $1 million, the fee is now $44,100. It jumps to $88,500 for properties between $1–2 million and climbs higher for more expensive purchases.
The combined picture: A foreign buyer purchasing a $1 million property would now pay roughly $30,850 in standard transfer duty, $44,100 in FIRB fees, and $80,000 in AFAD — over $150,000 in government charges before legal and settlement costs are added.
Land tax foreign surcharge: In Queensland, certain transactions are subject to AFAD, which is an additional 8% surcharge if the acquirer is a foreign person and the land is residential. Similarly, foreign owners of all land — not just residential — are subject to the Land Tax Foreign Surcharge, which is 3% in addition to the general rate of land tax.
FIRB approval timing: When doing a FIRB application, it is not for a specific property — it is for certain criteria. For example, in the up-to-$2 million range, if the buyer is approved, they usually have up to 12 months to find a property that meets that criteria. This approval-first structure means experienced international buyers — particularly Singaporean and Hong Kong buyers who are regular Australian property investors — arrive with FIRB pre-approval already in hand and can move quickly.
Vacancy fees: Foreign buyers who leave a purchased residential property unoccupied face annual vacancy fees. Certain changes regarding vacancy fees for foreign investments in residential real estate were introduced in 2024. For vacancy years starting on or after 9 April 2024, the vacancy fees for foreign-owned dwellings purchased since 9 May 2017 are doubled. For an investor intending to hold a Gold Coast apartment vacant between personal use visits, this is a direct cost to model.
The Established Dwelling Ban: Practical Impact for Agents
The most operationally significant regulatory change affecting international buyers in Queensland 2026 is the extended established dwelling ban. What was originally announced as a two-year measure has been extended: from 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029, foreign persons are banned from purchasing established dwellings in Australia unless a limited exception applies. The government extended the ban, which was originally due to end on 31 March 2027.
New builds and vacant land remain open to foreign purchasers. Vacant land is allowed, provided construction commences within four years. For agents managing vendor enquiries about whether their established home can be marketed to international buyers, the answer is, in virtually all cases, no — not until the ban lifts or the buyer becomes a permanent resident.
The exemptions are narrow. Certain redevelopment scenarios, specific visa categories, and joint-tenancy spousal arrangements provide limited relief, but these are fact-specific situations requiring legal advice before contract.
The practical effect for Queensland agents is a structural redirection of international buyer demand toward the new and off-the-plan segment. Developers with FIRB developer exemption certificates — developers applying for a new or near-new dwelling exemption certificate pay an initial application fee of $65,200 for the 2025–26 financial year — are the natural points of contact for international buyer enquiries. Agents with established relationships with Gold Coast and Brisbane apartment developers are consequently better positioned to service international buyer demand than general residential agents without off-the-plan stock.
How the 2032 Olympics Factor In
Sell-side confidence remains high, partly supported by the Queensland Government’s ongoing infrastructure investment and the anticipation of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, which is expected to bring further economic activity and long-term confidence to the property sector. For international buyers, the Olympics narrative functions as a credibility anchor — it confirms Queensland’s permanence as a major city market to buyers in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai who are comparing it against other global investment destinations.
Brisbane is set to benefit from infrastructure projects including the Brisbane Metro and the $15 billion Cross River Rail development, which will further boost its appeal to both domestic and international buyers. Cross River Rail, in particular, opens precinct value narratives that translate well internationally: walkable, transit-connected inner-city living that mirrors the investment logic familiar to Asian buyers in Singapore’s MRT-anchored property market.
KPMG forecasts national house prices to rise by 7.7% in 2026 and unit prices by 7.1%, with Brisbane expected to lead house-price growth at 10.9%. International buyers and their advisers monitor these forecasts closely. Brisbane sitting second nationally in projected price growth — behind only Perth — provides the forward-looking capital growth argument that anchors the investment conversation.
What This Means for Queensland Agents
The international buyer market in Queensland 2026 is real, active, and concentrated in specific nationality groups and property types. Working it effectively requires a set of practical operating principles.
Know the compliance framework before the phone rings. The FIRB and AFAD landscape has changed substantially in the last two years. FIRB approval must usually be obtained before entering into a contract if the buyer is a foreign person. Agents who understand the established dwelling ban, the AFAD rate, and the FIRB fee structure will close more international enquiries simply because they project competence in the first conversation.
Match product to buyer nationality and budget. Mainland Chinese and Vietnamese buyers concentrate in Brisbane’s inner-south in established community clusters; Singaporean and Hong Kong buyers tend toward Gold Coast prestige apartments and Sunshine Coast lifestyle property; UK and European buyers skew toward Sunshine Coast and hinterland acreage. Understanding these patterns allows you to qualify an international enquiry quickly and match it to appropriate stock.
Off-the-plan is the only compliant product for most foreign buyers. The established dwelling ban running to mid-2029 means agents without developer relationships or access to new-build stock are structurally disadvantaged in the international buyer market. Build those relationships now.
Understand the cost stack before quoting a purchase price. A foreign buyer’s all-in acquisition cost on a $1.5 million Gold Coast apartment is materially higher than a domestic buyer’s. If you are advising foreign buyers or dealing with contracts that might involve FIRB or AFAD liabilities, get advice before the contract is signed, not after. Directing buyers to a solicitor experienced in foreign investment property before contract is not just good practice — it protects both the transaction and your professional relationship.
Finally, do not assume that a buyer with an Asian name or an overseas area code is a foreign person under the legislative definition. Permanent residents and citizens — regardless of background or birthplace — are domestic buyers. Treating them as foreign persons is both incorrect and, frankly, poor client service. Confirm residency and citizenship status early, manage the paperwork accurately, and let the deal proceed on its merits.