If you've recently arrived in Australia and you're thinking about buying property in Logan, QLD, you're probably wondering whether your income even counts. The answer is yes, it can, but how much of it counts depends on which lender you're in front of and how they read your particular situation.

New migrants cover a wide range of circumstances. Whether you're on a skilled visa working a permanent role, a temporary resident in professional employment, a partner visa holder who's just entered the workforce, or someone who arrived recently with foreign income still coming in, each of those situations is read differently by different lenders. The gap between the most restrictive and the most flexible policy on the same income can be tens of thousands of dollars in borrowing capacity.

Our team helps interstate buyers and overseas arrivals across Logan, QLD work through exactly this, comparing options across 60+ lenders to find the one whose policy fits your visa and income profile.

Can new migrants get a home loan in Logan, QLD?

Yes, new migrants can get a home loan in Logan, QLD, and many do, but eligibility turns on visa category first, income type second. Permanent residents and New Zealand citizens are assessed almost identically to Australian citizens by most lenders. Temporary residents on eligible skilled or partner visas can also qualify, though the lender panel narrows and the deposit required is often higher. What matters most is not how long you've been in the country, but whether your visa allows indefinite or long-term stay and whether your income can be verified.

How do lenders assess new migrant income?

Lenders divide migrant borrowers into two broad groups, and which group you fall into shapes everything about how your application is assessed.

Permanent residents and eligible NZ citizens are treated like any other Australian borrower. Your employment income, rental income and investment income are all assessed under the same criteria, with the same serviceability buffer and the same document requirements. The main practical difference is that some lenders want to see your visa grant letter or evidence of PR status alongside your payslips.

Temporary visa holders face more variation. Some lenders won't lend to temporary residents at all. Others will, but apply a lower maximum LVR, shade foreign-sourced income, or require FIRB approval. Within the temporary category, visa type matters: a 482 TSS holder in a sponsored professional role is read more favourably than a bridging visa applicant, and a 309 partner visa waiting to be confirmed reads differently again. The lender's policy, not a general rule, decides the outcome here.

Foreign income still being earned overseas is accepted by some lenders, but it is shaded. Most lenders that accept it apply a 20% to 40% reduction to account for currency risk and verification difficulty. The currency itself matters too: income in USD or GBP from a stable economy is viewed more favourably than income in a currency with significant exchange rate volatility. Some lenders only accept foreign income if it is already converted and landing in an Australian bank account.

What do lenders verify for migrant borrowers?

The document requirements for a migrant borrower go beyond the standard payslip-and-tax-return set. What a lender needs depends on your visa class and income source, but the following applies across most applications.

What lenders typically require:

• › Visa documentation: the visa grant notice, visa label or VEVO printout confirming visa class, conditions and expiry or pathway to permanency.
• › Employment evidence: a current employment contract, employer letter and two to three recent payslips, with the start date visible. A role that began within three months of application may need additional confirmation of probation status.
• › Foreign income statements: where income is earned overseas, six to twelve months of foreign bank statements, a letter from the overseas employer, and evidence of funds being remitted to Australia.
• › Credit history: most lenders need at least six months of Australian credit history. Where none exists, some accept an overseas credit report, though the panel that does this is narrow.
• › FIRB approval: required for temporary visa holders purchasing residential property, obtained through the ATO before contracts are exchanged. Permanent residents are exempt.

How much can new migrants borrow in Logan, QLD?

The borrowing capacity calculation for a migrant borrower runs through the same mechanics as any other applicant: income minus commitments, assessed against the APRA serviceability buffer of 3.0% added to the actual rate, with living expenses benchmarked against the Household Expenditure Measure. What changes is how much of your income the lender counts before that calculation runs.

For a permanent resident in stable employment, the full income is generally counted and capacity is comparable to any equivalent Australian borrower. For a temporary visa holder with Australian-sourced income, most lenders that will lend count the income in full, but a narrower panel of lenders is willing at all. For a borrower with foreign income, the shading applies first: if a lender shades that income by 20%, the assessed income that enters the serviceability calculation is 20% lower than the actual figure, which moves borrowing capacity materially.

Suburb medians across Logan vary significantly. CoreLogic data shows that suburbs like Woodridge and Logan Central carry house medians of $740,000 and $720,000 respectively, both sitting under the $1,000,000 First Home Guarantee price cap that applies across all Logan suburbs. At the other end, Springwood sits at $1,080,000, above that cap. For most new migrants entering the market with a modest deposit, the more affordable suburbs give the most room to move.

Source: CoreLogic (via YIP, mid-2026) and APRA.

Get in touch Need help with a home loan as a new migrant? We're a local team who understand how lenders actually assess your situation, not just your rate. We'll compare your options across 60+ lenders to find the right fit. Chat to Our Team Call 1800 774 756

What government schemes can new migrants use?

Scheme eligibility for new migrants hinges almost entirely on citizenship and permanent residency status. Most federal schemes require Australian citizenship or permanent residency; some have been extended to eligible New Zealand citizens.

Schemes and who qualifies:

• › First Home Guarantee (5% deposit, no LMI): open to Australian citizens and permanent residents. The price cap across all Logan suburbs is $1,000,000. No income test applies.
• › Family Home Guarantee (2% deposit, single parents): same eligibility as above. Open to permanent residents who are genuinely single. Does not require first home buyer status.
• › Help to Buy (federal shared equity): open to Australian citizens only at this stage. Income cap is $103,000 for singles and $165,000 for joint applicants. The Logan price cap is $1,000,000.
• › Queensland First Home Owner Grant ($30,000): requires Australian citizenship or permanent residency (from 1 August 2026). New homes only, value under $750,000. No income test.
• › Temporary visa holders: not eligible for any of the above schemes. The pathway to schemes is through permanent residency, not through visa class alone.

Source: Housing Australia and Queensland Revenue Office.

How does a mortgage broker help new migrants get approved in Logan, QLD?

The lender choice decides the outcome here, not the rate. Three policy differences move the result for migrant borrowers, and they are not published side by side anywhere.

• › Visa class acceptance: some lenders lend to 482, 186 and 189 visa holders; others draw the line at permanent residents only. Applying to the wrong lender puts a declined application on your credit file before you've had a real chance.
• › Foreign income shading: the gap between 20% and 40% shading on the same foreign income figure can represent a $60,000 to $100,000 difference in assessed borrowing capacity, depending on the income level. Lenders that accept foreign income at all vary significantly on how much they discount it.
• › Credit history alternatives: a borrower with six months of Australian credit history qualifies at a much wider panel than one with none. Some lenders will accept an overseas credit report from certain countries; most won't. Knowing which ones will, before applying, is the difference between approval and a wasted application.

Comparing across the panel before the first application is made is where the outcome is found.

When does buying in Logan not make sense for a new migrant?

If your visa is subject to a condition that prevents you from working indefinitely, or if there's genuine uncertainty about whether you'll stay in Australia long-term, buying a property can create a financial position that's harder to exit than it looks at the outset. Selling within a few years typically means selling before the property has had time to recover the purchase costs, transaction costs and any early repayment fees.

For temporary residents, the foreign-buyer ban on established dwellings also means that if your application involves an established property, you'll need FIRB approval and must be prepared for the possibility that approval is not granted. New builds remain available with FIRB approval, but they typically carry a price premium. If the numbers only work on an established property and your visa doesn't support a straightforward path to permanency, renting and building your deposit further before buying is usually the cleaner position.

What approval challenges do new migrants face?

Common hurdles and how they are handled:

• › No Australian credit history: a thin file is the most common obstacle for recent arrivals. Building six months of consistent, on-time repayments on a credit card or phone plan before applying makes a material difference to the lender panel available.
• › Probation period on a new role: many migrants start a new job shortly before or after arriving. Some lenders require probation to be completed; others accept a contract letter where the role is in the same field as prior overseas employment. Which applies depends on the lender, not on a single rule.
• › Deposit sourcing: funds transferred from overseas need to be in an Australian account for an acceptable period and clearly traceable. Genuine savings requirements differ by lender and LVR, and foreign gift funds are treated differently from savings.
• › FIRB timing: for temporary residents, FIRB approval must be obtained before contracts are exchanged. The application is lodged through the ATO, a tiered fee applies, and the process takes time that needs to be factored into any purchase timeline.
• › Applying to the wrong lender first: a declined application from a lender whose policy doesn't cover the visa class sits on the credit file as an enquiry and narrows options for the next application. The order in which applications go in matters as much as which lenders are selected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a temporary visa holder get a home loan in Logan, QLD?

Yes, some lenders lend to temporary visa holders in Logan, though the panel is narrower than for permanent residents. Visa class, employment stability and deposit size all affect eligibility, and FIRB approval is required before contracts are exchanged.

Do I need Australian income to get a home loan as a new migrant?

Not necessarily. Some lenders accept foreign income, but typically shade it by 20% to 40% to account for currency risk. Income already landing in an Australian account is generally assessed more straightforwardly than income still held overseas.

Are permanent residents eligible for the Queensland First Home Owner Grant?

Yes, permanent residents are eligible for the $30,000 Queensland First Home Owner Grant on new homes valued under $750,000. The citizenship and permanent residency condition has applied to new grant applications from 1 August 2026.

Do new migrants need FIRB approval to buy property in Logan?

Permanent residents do not need FIRB approval. Temporary visa holders purchasing residential property do, and the application is lodged through the ATO before contracts are signed. A tiered fee applies based on the property value.

Can new migrants use the First Home Guarantee (5% deposit) in Logan?

Yes, if they hold Australian citizenship or permanent residency. The price cap for Logan is $1,000,000, which covers most house medians in the area. Temporary visa holders are not eligible for the scheme.

Is a mortgage broker or a bank better for new migrants in Logan, QLD?

A mortgage broker, every time. Migrant lending policy differs sharply between lenders on visa class, income shading and credit history requirements. A broker who knows which lenders will assess your situation avoids declined applications that narrow your options further.

Your Next Steps

For new migrants in Logan, QLD, the path to approval is almost always about lender selection before anything else. The right lender for your visa class and income type changes the deposit you need, the income that's counted and whether an application gets written at all. Getting that selection right before the first application goes in is where most of the difference is made.

Ready to find out which lenders will work best for your situation as a new migrant in Logan? Contact the Cube Loans team or call 1800 774 756. We'll canvas our 60+ lender panel and find the most suitable options for your circumstances.

About the author Nevada Matthews Mortgage Broker and Co-Owner, Cube Loans Nevada Matthews is a mortgage broker and co-owner of Cube Loans, helping first home buyers, investors and business owners across Loganholme and the wider Logan region. He started broking in 2019 and was named New Broker of the Year (QLD) in 2023, and operates under Cube Central Pty Ltd (Credit Representative 472851), authorised under Australian Credit Licence 517192. Meet Nevada → LinkedIn

Cube Loans, Loganholme and Logan, QLD, Cube Central Pty Ltd, Credit Representative 472851, authorised under Australian Credit Licence 517192, General information only - this article does not constitute financial advice. Please consider your own circumstances and seek professional advice before making any financial decisions.