Who this may suit
Skilled professionals living in Victoria or overseas who want to assess Victorian permanent nomination.
Key considerations
- At the 18 October 2026 check, Victoria’s live banner said the 2026–27 program would open soon; final eligibility details were still to follow.
- The Victorian Points Test ranks state registrations. It does not replace the federal points test or add extra federal points.
- Victoria has announced new fees and requires a new ROI for the new program year.
Current status: prepare before the opening
Victoria’s 13 October announcement explains the new fees and selection information. It does not announce an opening date. The current skilled-migration page says eligibility criteria will be published when the 2026–27 program opens.
Previous-year applicants must submit a fresh Registration of Interest when registrations open. Do not rely on older carry-over instructions or an old statement that nomination is free. Recheck the live program notice before paying, relocating or making another significant commitment.
Sources: Victoria: current skilled-migration opening notice · Victoria: 13 October 2026 program update
Check Victoria’s live program notice →
Start with federal subclass 190 eligibility
Subclass 190 is permanent residence. The federal requirements include an eligible occupation, a suitable skills assessment, competent English, nomination and a visa invitation. The main applicant must be under 45 at invitation and meet health, character and other requirements.
Effective state nomination contributes five federal points. You need at least 65 federal points, and must substantiate the score in your invitation. A higher score does not itself secure Victorian selection. Keep the federal calculation separate from any Victorian ranking estimate.
Sources: Home Affairs: Skilled Nominated visa, subclass 190 · Home Affairs: subclass 190 points table
Understand the federal subclass 190 requirements →
Who should assess Victoria 190?
The earlier Victorian 190 framework covered people living in Victoria or overseas who were committed to living and working in the state. It generally excluded onshore applicants living elsewhere in Australia, with limited border-community consideration. That indexed official page now fails to load directly, so these are background settings awaiting the opening release.
The previous framework did not require a job or minimum work experience for 190 eligibility. Qualifying Victorian skilled earnings could nevertheless affect selection. This distinction matters for graduates, offshore professionals and applicants employed outside their nominated occupation: basic eligibility and competitiveness answer different questions.
For a regional plan, compare the separate Victorian 491 guide. Do not carry over its regional-employment requirements to 190 or assume both subclasses offer the same residence status.
Sources: Victoria: current skilled-migration opening notice
Compare Victoria’s subclass 491 nomination pathway →
Understand the Victorian Points Test
The published VPT weights seven factors: age, English, nominated-occupation experience, education, occupation skill level, qualifying partner skills and applicable Victorian skilled earnings. ROIs are ranked across eligible occupations and within priority industries.
There is no fixed VPT pass mark. The state selects comparatively strong ROIs in a round; it cannot tell you that a particular estimated total will succeed. Check the occupation-level entries and additional conditions in the current priority list rather than assuming that every job in a broad industry receives priority.
A useful preparation method is to keep two worksheets: one for federal points and one for state selection. Beside each claim, record the evidence, the relevant date and any uncertainty. Never add a VPT figure to the SkillSelect total.
Sources: Victoria: Victorian Points Test · Victoria: current fees and VPT FAQs
Read the official VPT factors and priority occupations →
Budget for the announced state fees
For 2026–27, the announced ROI fee is A$60 excluding GST, or A$66 including GST. The 190 nomination application fee is A$180 excluding GST, or A$198 including GST. GST applies where the applicant is in Australia when paying.
The nomination fee is payable only after invitation when submitting the nomination application. The ROI fee applies once per program year; a new nomination application attracts a new fee. Fees are generally non-refundable, including where selection or nomination does not follow. Federal visa charges are separate.
Sources: Victoria: 2026–27 fees and terms
From EOI to nomination and visa
Prepare or update the SkillSelect EOI first. When the Victorian program opens, use the applicable instructions to submit the separate ROI. Selection permits a nomination application; nomination then precedes the separate Home Affairs visa application. Read each invitation’s deadline carefully.
Keep your EOI current before visa invitation, especially when qualifications, employment, English or family circumstances change. Once a visa invitation is issued, the EOI cannot be updated. An approaching visa expiry does not give priority in Victorian selection.
An EOI is not a visa application and does not grant a bridging visa. If your current permission to stay may expire, assess lawful-status options independently of the nomination timetable.
Sources: Victoria: current skilled-migration opening notice · Home Affairs: maintaining an EOI · Victoria: current fees and VPT FAQs · Home Affairs: changing visas and EOI status
Prepare evidence that matches your claims
Begin with a dated occupation, residence, study and employment timeline. This makes inconsistencies easier to resolve before an invitation. Arrange a secure channel before sending identity or employment records.
- Collect assessment and English records, qualifications and the latest EOI; flag expiry dates for review.
- For earnings claims, organise contracts, duties, pay and superannuation records, and confirm the employer’s actual Victorian location.
- Read the nomination declaration and settlement undertakings before agreeing to them. Check the final opening requirements against your evidence file.
Sources: Victoria: supporting documentation and nomination declaration
How we can help
Ausdirect can review proposed federal and state claims, assess evidence gaps and explain the applicable nomination undertakings. Advice should use the final opening criteria when released.
Questions to consider
Is Victoria’s 2026–27 program open?
The live notice still said opening soon at the 18 October 2026 check. The fee announcement is not confirmation that ROIs are being accepted.
Is the VPT score my federal visa score?
No. VPT ranks Victorian ROIs. Federal points determine a separate visa requirement; effective 190 nomination contributes five federal points.
Your next step
Prepare your occupation, location, work details and visa expiry for a consultation.