Victoria Nomination | Skilled Visa 190 & 491

The Victorian Government currently provides skilled visa nomination for:

• Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) – a permanent visa
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – a provisional regional visa with a pathway to permanent residence

Victoria considers skilled migrants living in Victoria as well as eligible applicants living overseas. Selection is competitive and depends on the Victorian Government's current program settings and workforce priorities.

Current program update: Victoria's 2026–27 skilled visa nomination program is not yet open. The Victorian Government will publish information about the new program when available.

Victoria Nomination – Subclass 190

The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is a permanent visa that allows successful applicants to live and work anywhere in Victoria, including Melbourne.

To be considered for Victorian subclass 190 nomination, applicants generally need to:

• Be under 45 years of age
• Have at least Competent English
• Have a valid skills assessment
• Have an occupation eligible for the visa
• Have at least 65 points, including state nomination points
• Submit a SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI)
• Submit a Victorian Registration of Interest (ROI)
• Be selected by Victoria
• Demonstrate a genuine commitment to living and working in Victoria
• Meet the Australian Government's subclass 190 requirements

There is no minimum employment or work experience requirement for Victorian subclass 190 nomination. Applicants do not have to be working to submit an ROI.

Victoria Nomination – Subclass 491

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a five-year provisional visa designed for skilled migrants who live and work in designated regional areas.

Victoria's 491 nomination pathway can be relevant to applicants who are:

• Living offshore, or
• Living and working in regional Victoria

Applicants generally need:

• To be under 45 years of age
• At least Competent English
• A valid skills assessment
• An eligible occupation
• At least 65 points, including the applicable state nomination points
• A SkillSelect EOI
• A Victorian ROI
• Selection by Victoria
• A commitment to live and work in regional Victoria

For the Victorian 491 pathway, applicants living in regional Victoria must be working in skilled employment for an employer physically located in regional Victoria. There is no minimum number of hours worked requirement.

491 to Permanent Residency

Subclass 491 is not a permanent visa.

Eligible holders may potentially progress to the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) after meeting the relevant requirements.

Victoria states that the 491 pathway provides a potential pathway to permanent residence after living and working in regional Victoria for at least three years, subject to the applicable requirements.

A potential pathway is:

Victoria Nomination → Subclass 491 → Regional Residence & Work → Subclass 191 → Permanent Residence

Meeting the 491 requirements does not automatically guarantee eligibility for the 191 visa.

Who Can Apply for Victoria Nomination?

Victoria can consider eligible skilled migrants who are:

Living in Victoria

For subclass 190, applicants living in Australia generally need to be living in Victoria when seeking Victorian nomination.

Victoria does not normally select ROIs from applicants living in another Australian state or territory, although limited case-by-case exceptions can apply for certain border communities.

For subclass 491, onshore applicants need to be living and working in regional Victoria.

Living Overseas

Eligible offshore applicants can be considered for Victorian subclass 190 nomination.

For offshore 190 applicants, Victoria requires a commitment to live and work in Victoria.

Eligible offshore applicants can also potentially be considered for subclass 491 nomination where they meet the relevant requirements.

Victorian Skills and Occupations

Victoria considers applicants with occupations included on the relevant Australian Government skilled occupation list for the nominated visa.

A valid skills assessment in the nominated occupation is required.

Victoria also identifies particular industry sectors for prioritisation during selection. Current Victorian information identifies areas including:

• Health
• Social services
• Education, including early childhood
• Construction
• New energy
• Advanced manufacturing
• Hospitality and tourism for the 491 program

For offshore 491 applicants, health is currently identified as a priority sector.

Priorities can change between program years, so applicants should check the current Victorian settings rather than relying on an old priority list.

Registration of Interest (ROI)

A Registration of Interest (ROI) is an important part of the Victorian skilled nomination process.

An ROI is not a visa application and is not itself an application for Victorian nomination.

The general process is:

SkillSelect EOI → Victorian ROI → Selection → Nomination Application → Visa Application

Your ROI is assessed using information contained in your SkillSelect EOI and the information submitted to Victoria.

Submitting an ROI does not guarantee selection.

Expression of Interest (EOI)

Before submitting a Victorian ROI, you must generally submit or update an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect.

Your EOI should accurately reflect your:

• Age
• Occupation
• Skills assessment
• English results
• Qualifications
• Skilled employment
• Points
• Partner information
• Current location
• Other relevant personal information

The information in your EOI is important because Victoria uses it when assessing ROIs.

Any claims made should be accurate and supported by evidence.

How Victoria Selects Applicants

Victoria does not guarantee selection simply because an applicant meets the minimum eligibility criteria.

When assessing ROIs, Victoria considers information such as:

• Education
• Occupation
• Skill level
• English
• Partner's skills where applicable
• Salary and skilled employment for eligible onshore applicants
• Industry priorities
• Current Victorian workforce needs

For onshore applicants who claim earnings, annual earnings are one of the factors considered during selection.

Employment Requirements – Subclass 190

One important feature of Victoria's 190 nomination program is that you do not need to be employed to be eligible for nomination.

There is also no minimum work experience requirement for Victorian 190 nomination.

However, if an onshore applicant claims annual earnings in their ROI, those earnings must come from eligible skilled employment in Victoria.

Your nominated occupation does not necessarily have to be the same as your Victorian employment for the purposes of claiming eligible skilled employment earnings, subject to the Victorian requirements.

Employment Requirements – Subclass 491

The Victorian 491 pathway has different employment requirements.

Applicants living in regional Victoria must generally be working in skilled employment for an employer physically located in regional Victoria.

The employment:

• Must meet the applicable skilled employment definition
• Must be with an employer physically located in regional Victoria
• Does not necessarily have to be the same as the nominated occupation
• Has no minimum hours requirement under Victoria's nomination criteria

Applicants who are not working, are working in non-skilled employment or work for an employer that is not physically located in regional Victoria are not eligible for the Victorian 491 nomination pathway on that basis.

Skills Assessment

A valid skills assessment is required for Victorian skilled nomination.

Your nominated occupation in your skills assessment must match the occupation included in your SkillSelect EOI.

Victoria requires the skills assessment to remain valid when the nomination application is submitted and currently requires at least 12 weeks of validity remaining at that stage.

For health professionals, the nominated occupation must also be consistent with the relevant AHPRA registration where applicable.

A provisional skills assessment used for a Temporary Graduate visa is not sufficient for Victorian skilled nomination.

English Requirements

Applicants for Victorian skilled nomination generally need at least Competent English.

Your English test must be valid when you submit the nomination application.

Victoria currently requires the English test to have at least 12 weeks of validity remaining when the nomination application is submitted.

Higher English proficiency may also contribute additional points under the Australian skilled migration points test.

Points Requirement

Applicants for Victorian skilled nomination must generally have at least 65 points, including the applicable state or territory nomination points.

For:

• Subclass 190: state nomination contributes 5 points
• Subclass 491: state nomination contributes 15 points

However, the minimum points threshold does not guarantee selection by Victoria.

Selection remains competitive and is based on the current program requirements and assessment criteria.

Victoria Nomination Process

Step 1 – Check Eligibility

Assess your occupation, age, English, skills assessment, points and Victorian pathway.

Step 2 – Submit a SkillSelect EOI

Create or update your Expression of Interest through the Australian Government's SkillSelect system.

Step 3 – Submit a Victorian ROI

Use your SkillSelect EOI number to submit a Registration of Interest through the Live in Melbourne portal.

Step 4 – Wait for Selection

Victoria assesses ROIs and may invite selected applicants to apply for nomination.

Step 5 – Submit Nomination Application

If invited, submit your Victorian nomination application and supporting evidence through the Live in Melbourne portal.

Step 6 – Receive Nomination

If Victoria approves your nomination, the nomination is submitted to the Australian Government.

Step 7 – Apply for the Visa

After receiving the relevant Home Affairs invitation, submit your visa application within the required timeframe.

Documents for Victoria Nomination

If invited to apply, you may need evidence such as:

• Passport
• Skills assessment
• English test
• Qualification documents
• Academic transcripts
• Employment evidence
• Payslips
• Employment contract
• Position description
• Superannuation records
• Bank statements
• Victorian residential evidence
• Regional Victorian employment evidence, where applicable
• Evidence supporting your EOI and ROI claims

Victoria may request additional documents during the assessment process.

Evidence of Victorian Residence

Onshore applicants may need to demonstrate that they actually live in Victoria.

Evidence can include:

• Bank statements
• Rental or lease agreements
• Utility bills
• Victorian driver's licence
• Proof-of-age card
• Other relevant residential evidence

For applicants claiming earnings, additional employment evidence may be required, such as payslips, employment contracts, position descriptions and superannuation records.

Victoria Nomination Obligations

Successful nominees are expected to commit to living and working in Victoria.

Victoria currently requires nominated applicants to commit to living and working in Victoria for at least two years.

Nominees may also be asked to participate in surveys relating to their settlement and experience in Victoria.

State nomination cannot simply be transferred from Victoria to another Australian state or territory.

Victoria Nomination Is Not a Visa Grant

Victorian nomination and an Australian visa are two separate stages.

The Victorian Government assesses and nominates eligible applicants, while the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs makes the final visa decision.

Receiving Victorian nomination does not guarantee that your visa will be granted.

Common Victoria Nomination Mistakes

Applicants should avoid:

• Using an expired skills assessment
• Using an expired English test
• Claiming incorrect points
• Providing inaccurate employment information
• Overestimating annual earnings
• Claiming employment that does not meet the Victorian requirements
• Living in another Australian state while applying as an onshore Victorian applicant
• Providing inconsistent EOI and ROI information
• Changing the EOI after selection in a way that affects eligibility
• Providing false or misleading information
• Assuming an ROI guarantees nomination
• Relying on outdated Victorian program information

Victoria may refuse a nomination application where an applicant cannot substantiate claims made in their EOI or ROI.

Victoria Nomination and Permanent Residency

For eligible applicants, Victoria can provide two different skilled migration strategies:

Subclass 190

Victoria Nomination → Subclass 190 → Permanent Residence

Subclass 190 is a permanent visa.

Subclass 491

Victoria Nomination → Subclass 491 → Regional Victoria → Subclass 191

Subclass 491 is provisional and can provide a pathway to permanent residence after the applicable requirements are satisfied.

The most suitable pathway depends on your occupation, location, employment, points, skills assessment and personal circumstances.

Why Choose The Visa?

Victorian nomination can be competitive, and meeting the basic eligibility criteria does not guarantee selection.

The Visa can help you assess your overall skilled migration profile and identify potential Victorian nomination strategies.

Our assessment can consider:

• Occupation
• Skills assessment
• Age
• English
• Qualifications
• Skilled employment
• Points
• Victorian residence
• Regional employment
• 190 eligibility
• 491 eligibility
• Alternative state nomination options
• Employer-sponsored pathways
• Potential PR pathways

We help skilled professionals understand their options and prepare an evidence-based migration strategy.

Get Your Victoria Nomination Assessment

Are you planning to migrate to Victoria through skilled migration?

Contact The Visa for a personalised assessment of your Victoria nomination and Australian skilled visa options.

Registered Migration Agent: Navneet Kaur
MARN: 2318181

Phone: +61 430 077 714
Email: [email protected]
Website: thevisa.com.au

Victorian skilled visa nomination is competitive and subject to current program settings, available places and selection criteria. Meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee selection, nomination or visa grant.