Victoria nominates eligible skilled workers for two Australian visas: the permanent Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the provisional Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491). Both require you to meet Australian Government visa rules and Victoria's nomination requirements.
The process involves an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect and a separate Victorian Registration of Interest (ROI). Meeting the basic requirements does not guarantee that Victoria will invite you to apply for nomination.
What Is Victoria's Skilled Migration Program?
Victoria's skilled migration program allows the state government to nominate applicants for certain points-tested skilled visas. The Department of Home Affairs makes the final visa decision. A nomination from Victoria is not the same as a visa grant.
The two state-nominated pathways serve different purposes:
- Subclass 190: A permanent visa for eligible skilled migrants who want to settle in Victoria. Victorian nomination adds five points to the Australian Government's points test.
- Subclass 491: A five-year provisional visa for eligible skilled migrants who will live, work and study in designated regional areas. State nomination adds 15 points to the federal points test.
A subclass 491 visa can lead to permanent residence through the subclass 191 visa, but this is not automatic after three years. Applicants must meet the 191 requirements, including holding an eligible visa for at least three years, complying with its conditions and providing the required Australian Taxation Office notices of assessment for three income years. Home Affairs does not set a minimum income amount for this pathway.
Who Can Apply for Victorian State Nomination?
To be considered, you need to meet the Australian Government's requirements for the visa and the Victorian Government's nomination criteria. As published in Victoria's nomination guidance, the common requirements include:
- Being under 45 as required for the points-tested skilled visa invitation.
- Having at least Competent English.
- Holding a valid skills assessment for an occupation eligible for the chosen visa.
- Having at least 65 points on the Australian Government's SkillSelect points test, including the points for state nomination.
- Having your Victorian ROI selected before you apply for nomination.
- Intending to live and work in Victoria in line with the pathway you choose.
The Australian Government's 65-point threshold is an eligibility minimum, not a score that guarantees nomination. Your occupation, location and other circumstances also matter. Check the specific requirements on the official subclass 190 nomination page or subclass 491 nomination page before acting.
Subclass 190 Nomination Requirements
For Victoria's subclass 190 nomination pathway, the published guidance allows applicants living in Victoria or overseas. You must be committed to living and working in Victoria and meet the other state and federal requirements.
Living in Victoria does not necessarily mean you need to have a job to submit an ROI for subclass 190. If you are in eligible skilled employment, your estimated annual earnings may be relevant to ROI selection. If you are unemployed or not in eligible skilled employment, you cannot claim those earnings.
Victoria also expects a valid skills assessment and English evidence. Check their remaining validity before a nomination application, because Victoria's published nomination guidance specifies validity requirements at that stage.
Subclass 491 Nomination Requirements
For the Victorian subclass 491 pathway, the published nomination guidance distinguishes between applicants overseas and applicants already in Australia.
- Living overseas: You may be eligible to seek nomination without having a job or claiming Victorian earnings in your ROI.
- Living in Australia: The Victorian pathway generally requires you to be living in regional Victoria and working in skilled employment for an employer physically located in regional Victoria. The employer's location matters, not just whether you work remotely from a regional address.
If granted a subclass 491 visa, you and accompanying family members must follow its regional living, working and study conditions. Check which postcodes qualify as designated regional areas before choosing where to live or work. Victoria's annual earnings guidance explains what income can be claimed by eligible onshore applicants.
Program-year check: The Victorian Government had not yet opened the 2026–27 program on 13 October 2026 and says eligibility criteria and further details will be published when it opens. The requirements above reflect the latest separately published visa nomination guidance; check them again against the new program settings before submitting an ROI.
How to Apply for Victorian Skilled Visa Nomination
The overall process has five stages. An EOI, an ROI, a nomination application and a visa application are separate steps, so completing one does not mean the next has been approved.
- Check your eligibility. Choose subclass 190 or 491, confirm your nominated occupation is eligible and check the latest Victorian and Home Affairs requirements.
- Submit or update your SkillSelect EOI. Enter accurate qualifications, skills assessment, English results, work history and points claims in the Australian Government's system. Our SkillSelect EOI guide explains this stage in detail.
- Submit your Victorian ROI when the program opens. Use your SkillSelect EOI number to submit an ROI through the Live in Melbourne portal. For the 2026–27 program, this step attracts an ROI fee. Submitting an ROI is not an application for nomination.
- Apply for nomination if invited. If Victoria selects your ROI, you can lodge a nomination application with the required evidence before the invitation expires. The nomination application fee is payable at this stage.
- Apply to Home Affairs if nominated. If Victoria approves your nomination, follow the Department of Home Affairs' visa invitation and application instructions. Home Affairs assesses and decides your visa application.
Make sure the information in your EOI, ROI and supporting documents agrees. An ROI does not have a guaranteed selection time, and you cannot apply for Victorian nomination unless Victoria invites you.
Victorian Points Test: How ROI Selection Works
The Victorian Points Test (VPT) ranks eligible ROIs for nomination invitations. It is separate from SkillSelect's federal points test and has no fixed passing score. Victoria uses weighted factors and priority-industry selection when deciding which ROIs to invite.
See Victoria's official explanation of the Victorian Points Test.
Victorian ROI and Nomination Fees for 2026–27
Victoria has introduced two separate charges for the 2026–27 skilled visa nomination program. The ROI fee is paid when submitting an ROI. A nomination application fee is only paid if Victoria invites you to apply for nomination and you submit that application.
GST only applies if the applicant is in Australia at the time of payment. The government applies GST when the relevant form is completed, so do not assume it applies to everyone.
The ROI fee is charged once per program year. If you withdraw an ROI and submit another within the same program year, Victoria says you will not pay the ROI fee a second time. A fresh nomination application, however, has its own fee. Charges are generally non-refundable, except in limited circumstances.
These are Victorian Government nomination-related charges, not Department of Home Affairs visa application charges. Paying for an ROI or nomination application does not guarantee selection or approval. Check the official Victorian fee schedule before making payment.
What Happens After You Submit an ROI?
Victoria ranks eligible ROIs and invites selected applicants during invitation rounds. Invitations depend on the applicants in the pool, the VPT ranking and relevant priority industries. There is no fixed score or published timeframe that guarantees an invitation.
If your ROI is not selected immediately, it may remain under consideration for later rounds within the applicable program year. A previous program year's ROI does not automatically carry forward to 2026–27, and an ROI is not a visa application or a guarantee of continued lawful stay in Australia.
Before You Apply
Before paying the ROI fee, confirm that your occupation, skills assessment, English evidence, SkillSelect points and location match the pathway you want. If you are applying for subclass 491 from within Australia, double-check the regional residence and skilled employment requirements in particular.
Victoria's program settings and invitation priorities can change between program years. If you are unsure how those rules apply to your circumstances, you can contact Knowbal to discuss your options with a registered migration agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Ask Victoria to Prioritise My ROI Because My Current Visa Is Expiring?
No. Victoria says it cannot prioritise nomination invitations based on personal circumstances, including the expiry of your current visa or supporting documents. An ROI does not provide a bridging visa or extend an existing visa. If your visa is nearing expiry, check your lawful-stay options separately rather than relying on an invitation.
Do I Need to Upload Supporting Documents When I Submit My Victorian ROI?
Victoria's published ROI guidance says supporting documents are not required at the ROI stage. If your ROI is selected, you must provide the relevant evidence with your nomination application. You should still have evidence for the details and points you claim before lodging your ROI.
Can I Have More Than One Active Victorian ROI?
No. Victoria's published guidance permits only one active ROI at a time, rather than separate active ROIs for subclass 190, subclass 491 or different occupations. If you want to change the subclass or other ROI details, you need to withdraw the existing ROI and submit a replacement.
What Happens if My Invitation to Apply for Victorian Nomination Expires?
You must lodge your nomination application before the invitation deadline. Victoria says an expired nomination invitation will not be reissued. If you still want to be considered, you may need to submit a new ROI when submissions are open and follow the applicable rules for that program year.
What if My Employment, Earnings or Other ROI Details Change After Submission?
An ROI cannot be edited after submission. If information entered in the ROI becomes incorrect, Victoria's published guidance says you must withdraw it and submit a new one, while also keeping your SkillSelect EOI accurate. Changes may affect what you can claim, so check the official instructions before replacing the ROI.
