Victoria State Nomination for the 190 and 491 Visas

What is the Victorian state nomination program?

The Victorian Skilled Visa Nomination Program lets skilled workers in Victoria or overseas ask the Victorian Government to nominate them for a skilled visa. The program also helps Victorian industries fill skills shortages.

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State nomination adds points to your SkillSelect score: 5 points for the 190 and 15 points for the 491. The nomination does not grant a visa. You must still meet the Department of Home Affairs requirements and lodge a visa application.

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Victoria publishes the rules on the Live in Melbourne skilled migration page. Victoria states that requirements and priorities can change without notice.

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How do the 190 and 491 visas differ in Victoria?

Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

• Permanent visa. You can live and work anywhere in Victoria.

• You can apply from overseas or from inside Australia. If you are in Australia, you must live in Victoria. Victoria does not select onshore ROIs from other states or territories.

• State nomination adds 5 points.

Read our full guide to the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190).

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Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)

• Provisional visa for up to five years. You can apply for permanent residence (subclass 191) after three years of living and working in regional Victoria.

• Offshore applicants can apply and must move to regional Victoria after the visa grant.

• Onshore applicants in Melbourne qualify only as recent Victorian graduates holding a Student (subclass 500) or Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa. Other onshore applicants must live and work in regional Victoria.

• Some outer Melbourne areas count as designated regional areas, including the Mornington Peninsula, Pakenham and Geelong. Check the Department of Home Affairs list before you apply.

• State nomination adds 15 points.

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Read our full guide to the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) and our comparison of the 190 visa vs 491 visa.

Already living in Victoria? See our guide to the 491 visa in Victoria.

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Who can get Victorian nomination?

Victoria publishes the 2026-27 eligibility criteria when the program opens. The requirements below come from Victoria's current subclass 190 and subclass 491 pages, last modified on 1 July 2026. Check them again when the new program opens.

You must meet both the Australian Government's visa requirements and Victoria's nomination requirements. Victoria lists these for both visas:

• A valid skills assessment in an occupation on the eligible skilled occupation list. The occupation must match your SkillSelect EOI.

• At least Competent English.

• Under 45 years of age when Victoria nominates you.

• At least 65 points on the SkillSelect points test, including the state nomination points.

• At least 12 weeks of validity left on your skills assessment and English test when you submit the nomination application.

• A commitment to live and work in Victoria for at least two years after nomination. State nomination cannot move to another state.

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Check your occupation and assessing authority in our skilled occupation list. Estimate your federal score with our skilled migration points calculator.

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How does the Victorian Points Test rank your ROI?

Victoria ranks every ROI by its Victorian Points Test (VPT) total. The VPT adds up seven factors: age, English language, years of experience in the nominated occupation, educational qualification, occupation skill level, partner skills and annual earnings from skilled employment in Victoria.

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Victoria has no fixed VPT pass mark. It invites the ROIs with the highest totals in each round. The VPT is separate from the federal SkillSelect test, which sets the 65-point minimum.

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See every VPT table and the 2026-27 priority occupation lists in our article on Victoria's skilled visa nomination program 2026-27.

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What are the 2026-27 fees and priority industries?

Victoria will charge fees to submit an ROI and a nomination application from the 2026-27 program. The Victorian Government announced the change on 13 October 2026.

• ROI: AUD $60 excluding GST (AUD $66 including GST). Victoria charges it once per program year.

• Nomination application for subclass 190 or 491: AUD $180 excluding GST (AUD $198 including GST). You pay it only if Victoria invites you and you submit an application.

• GST of 10% applies if you are in Australia when you pay.

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These are state fees. They are separate from the Department of Home Affairs visa application charge. Check federal charges on our visa fees page.

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Victoria also prioritises four industries in 2026-27: healthcare, social assistance, education and construction. Priority does not guarantee an invitation. See the full priority occupation lists for each industry.

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How do you apply for Victorian nomination?

1. Check your eligibility. Confirm you meet the federal and Victorian requirements for the visa you want.

2. Submit or update your EOI. Lodge it in SkillSelect. Victoria calculates your VPT total from your EOI and your ROI.

3. Submit your ROI. Create an account on the Live in Melbourne nomination portal with your EOI number. Victoria does not guarantee that it will select your ROI.

4. Apply for nomination if Victoria invites you. Victoria emails the invitation. You submit the nomination application and your documents in the portal. Victoria does not accept email submissions.

5. Lodge your visa application. If Victoria nominates you, lodge the visa application with the Department of Home Affairs within 60 days.

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Victoria states that the average nomination processing time is 20 business days, excluding the time it waits for information you owe. You have two weeks to answer a request for information.

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Is there a Victorian invitation round today?

No. The 2025-26 program is closed to new ROIs, and the 2026-27 program has not opened. Victoria has not announced an opening date.

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When a program is open, Victoria invites ROIs in regular rounds. In each round it invites the highest VPT totals across all eligible occupations, and the highest totals within each priority industry. The results depend on how competitive the ROI pool is at that time.

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Victoria does not invite based on personal circumstances such as your age or an expiring visa. For federal rounds, see our SkillSelect invitation rounds page.

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If you submitted an ROI in an earlier program year, you must submit a new one when the 2026-27 program opens.

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What happens after Victoria nominates you?

• Lodge your visa application within 60 days or Victoria will not renominate you.

• Keep your contact details current.

• Complete Victoria's surveys. The 190 page asks for one every six months during the two years after visa grant or arrival.

• Live and work in Victoria for at least two years.

If Victoria refuses your nomination application, you cannot reapply for six months. You can ask for a review only when you suspect an assessment error. If Victoria nominates you for the 190 or 491, it cannot nominate you again in the same program year.

Compare other states in our state and regional sponsorship guide.

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FAQ

What is Victorian state nomination?

Victorian state nomination is the Victorian Government's endorsement of a skilled worker for the subclass 190 or 491 visa. You lodge a SkillSelect EOI and a Victorian ROI. If Victoria invites you and nominates you, you can lodge the visa application with the Department of Home Affairs. Nomination adds 5 points for the 190 and 15 points for the 491.

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Is Victoria's skilled visa program open?

No. Victoria's 2025-26 program is closed to new ROIs. The 2026-27 program has not opened and Victoria has not announced a date. Victoria will publish the eligibility criteria and further details when the program opens. If you submitted an ROI in an earlier year, you must submit a new one.

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When is the next Victorian invitation round?

Victoria has not announced one. It invites ROIs in regular rounds once a program is open. Each round invites the highest Victorian Points Test totals across all eligible occupations and within each priority industry. Check this page and the Live in Melbourne website for updates.

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Do I need a job in Victoria to get nominated for the 190?

No, not on Victoria's current 190 page. It states that working is not required and sets no minimum work experience or hours. You can claim earnings points only from skilled employment with an employer physically located in Victoria. Victoria will publish the 2026-27 criteria when the program opens.

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Can I apply for Victorian nomination from overseas?

Yes. Victoria accepts ROIs from overseas applicants for both visas. You must commit to living and working in Victoria after the 190 grant, or in regional Victoria after the 491 grant. Onshore applicants face extra residence rules, which the sections above explain.

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How long does Victoria take to assess a nomination application?

Victoria states an average of 20 business days, excluding the time it waits for information you owe. You have two weeks to reply to any request for information. Victoria asks applicants not to request updates while it assesses the application.

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How much does Victorian nomination cost?

Victoria will charge AUD $60 for an ROI and AUD $180 for each nomination application from the 2026-27 program, both excluding GST. GST of 10% applies if you are in Australia when you pay. The Home Affairs visa application charge is separate. See the fee table in our 2026-27 program article.

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Sources

• Live in Melbourne, Skilled migration visas

• Live in Melbourne, Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

• Live in Melbourne, Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)

• Live in Melbourne, Victorian Points Test

• Live in Melbourne, Update - Victoria's skilled visa nomination program 2026-27, published 13 October 2026

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Need help with Victorian nomination?

Our RACC Registered Migration Agents (MARN 1572961 and MARN 1172003) can review your VPT score, your occupation and your 190 and 491 options. Book a consultation.