A practical guide to Victoria’s subclass 190 and subclass 491 pathways, ROI selection, invitation rounds, regional requirements and the later subclass 191 permanent-residence stage.
The Victoria skilled migration program can nominate eligible skilled workers for the permanent subclass 190 visa or the regional provisional subclass 491 visa. Nomination is a separate state selection process. It does not replace the federal visa criteria and does not guarantee that the Department of Home Affairs will grant a visa.
The best pathway depends on where you live, whether you work in regional Victoria, your occupation and skills assessment, your points, the evidence supporting your EOI and ROI, and the Victorian program settings in force when invitations are issued. Review the wider Australian skilled visa guide before choosing a subclass only because it offers more nomination points.
Reviewed 22 July 2026: Victoria states that its 2026–27 skilled visa nomination program is not yet open. The 2025–26 program closed to new ROIs on 28 April 2026. Do not submit or withdraw an ROI based on an old article; check the Live in Melbourne skilled migration page for the opening date and new settings.
Check program status
Confirm that Victoria is accepting ROIs for the relevant program year before taking any portal action.
Match the subclass
Subclass 190 is permanent; subclass 491 is regional and provisional with a later PR pathway.
Evidence every claim
An invitation can be lost if the residence, earnings, skills, partner or points claims cannot be documented.
Victoria skilled migration 2026–27: current program status
As at 22 July 2026, Victoria’s 2026–27 skilled visa nomination program has not opened. The latest completed program year was 2025–26, when Victoria received 3,400 nomination places: 2,700 for subclass 190 and 700 for subclass 491. Those figures are useful historical context, but they are not confirmed allocations for 2026–27.
The 2025–26 program closed to new Registrations of Interest at 4pm AEST on 28 April 2026. Victoria advised applicants not to withdraw an existing ROI because a replacement could not be submitted until the next program opened. For future updates, check the official news page and the Australian migration policy updates page.
Program item
Position at review date
How to use it
2026–27 program
Not yet open.
Wait for the official opening notice, eligibility settings and allocation.
2025–26 allocation
2,700 subclass 190 places and 700 subclass 491 places.
Historical context only; do not copy these figures into a 2026–27 plan.
New ROI access
Closed from 28 April 2026 for the previous program.
Check the portal only after Victoria announces the next program opening.
Nomination charge
Victoria does not charge for an ROI or state nomination application.
Federal visa charges and other evidence costs still apply.
The 2025–26 allocation is retained as historical context. Victoria had not announced the 2026–27 allocation when this guide was reviewed.
190 visa Victoria vs Victoria subclass 491
Both pathways require Victorian nomination, a SkillSelect EOI, a selected ROI and federal visa eligibility. The key difference is the visa outcome: a 190 visa Victoria pathway is permanent from grant, while subclass 491 is a five-year provisional visa with designated-regional-area conditions.
Feature
Victoria subclass 190
Victoria subclass 491
Visa status
Permanent residence from grant.
Provisional visa valid for up to five years.
Nomination points
5 points.
15 points.
Where the holder lives
Victoria nomination carries settlement commitments, but the federal visa is permanent.
The visa holder and dependent holders must live, work and study in a designated regional area.
Onshore location for Victorian nomination
Living in Victoria; border-community exceptions may be considered case by case.
Living and working in regional Victoria.
Employment for Victorian nomination
Not mandatory. Skilled Victorian earnings can be claimed as a ranking factor when supported.
For onshore candidates, skilled employment with an employer physically located in regional Victoria is required.
Permanent-residence pathway
Already a permanent visa.
Potential subclass 191 application after at least three years, if all 191 criteria are met.
The Victorian nomination criteria operate in addition to the federal subclass 190 rules. When the program is open, the applicant must first meet the baseline requirements and then compete for ROI selection.
Requirement
Victoria position
Evidence to plan
Residence
Onshore applicants must live in Victoria. Offshore applicants can be considered if committed to living and working in Victoria.
Address history, lease, utilities, licence and transaction records where requested.
Age
Under 45 at nomination/invitation stage.
Passport and accurate date-of-birth details in EOI and ROI.
English
At least Competent English. Victoria requires at least 12 weeks of test validity remaining when the nomination application is submitted.
Valid test result or accepted passport evidence where the federal rules permit.
Skills assessment
Valid assessment for an eligible occupation, matching the nominated occupation in SkillSelect. At least 12 weeks validity must remain for the nomination application.
Assessment outcome, authority evidence and matching EOI occupation code.
Points
At least 65 points including 5 points for state nomination.
Evidence for age, English, work, qualifications, partner and other claimed factors.
ROI selection
A submitted ROI must be selected before the applicant can lodge a Victorian nomination application.
Accurate EOI and ROI records that remain current and consistent.
Employment clarification: A Victoria 190 candidate does not need to be employed to meet the current nomination baseline. If an onshore candidate claims annual earnings in the ROI, the income must come from skilled employment for an employer physically located in Victoria and must be supportable with evidence.
Victoria 491 visa requirements
The Victoria 491 visa requirements are stricter for onshore candidates because regional residence and skilled employment are central to the state nomination pathway. The nominated occupation, skills assessment and EOI also need to meet the federal subclass 491 criteria.
Onshore applicant
Must be living and working in regional Victoria in skilled employment for an employer physically located in regional Victoria. The role does not need to match the nominated occupation, and no minimum weekly hours are stated.
Offshore applicant
Can be considered while living overseas and must commit to living and working in regional Victoria. Priority sectors and selection settings can change between program years.
Be under 45 when invited.
Have at least Competent English, with at least 12 weeks of validity remaining at nomination application.
Hold a valid skills assessment in an eligible occupation matching the SkillSelect EOI.
Have at least 65 points, including 15 points for state nomination.
Submit an ROI and be selected before applying for Victorian nomination.
Commit to living and working in regional Victoria and comply with the subclass 491 regional conditions after grant.
Check the postcode: “Regional Victoria” is defined by federal postcode settings. Geelong and selected outer areas can qualify, but not every suburb outside central Melbourne is automatically regional. Confirm the exact residential and workplace postcode through the official designated-regional-area list.
Subclass 190 and 491 share federal points-tested requirements, but their Victorian residence and employment settings differ.
190 visa invitation round Victoria: how selection works
Searches for “190 visa invitation round Victoria” often assume that Victoria publishes a fixed calendar or a minimum invitation score. It does not. Victoria states that invitation rounds occur throughout the program year and there are no set dates.
The state invitation is also different from a federal independent SkillSelect round. Victoria first uses the EOI and ROI information to select candidates to apply for state nomination. If the nomination application is approved, the applicant can then receive the relevant SkillSelect invitation to lodge the visa application.
Stage
What it means
Is there a guaranteed timeframe?
EOI submitted
Your federal SkillSelect profile is visible to participating states and territories.
No. An EOI is not a visa application.
ROI submitted
You ask Victoria to consider the EOI profile for state nomination selection.
No. Victoria says an ROI has no processing timeframe.
ROI selected
Victoria invites you to submit a formal nomination application before the invitation expires.
No guaranteed selection date, score or outcome.
Nomination approved
Victoria confirms nomination and the visa invitation process proceeds through SkillSelect.
The visa application must be lodged within the federal invitation period, generally 60 days.
No invitation calculator: A high points score can help, but Victoria ranks candidates using several factors. No public calculator can reliably predict the next round, selection date or invitation outcome.
Registration of Interest and ROI ranking factors
An ROI is not a nomination application. It is a short state-selection record linked to the SkillSelect EOI. Victoria compares eligible ROIs against each other and invites the most competitive profiles across a combination of factors.
Age and English
Occupation experience
Education and skill level
Partner skills
Onshore skilled earnings
Sector priorities
Only one active ROI can be submitted at a time. You cannot maintain separate Victorian ROIs for subclass 190 and 491 or for multiple occupations. If information entered in the ROI changes—such as the subclass, annual earnings, partner points or EOI number—the ROI generally needs to be withdrawn and replaced when the program permits new submissions.
Keep the EOI current as well. A change to points, work history, English, skills assessment, relationship status or residence can affect eligibility and selection. VEM’s guide to updating marital status in Australian immigration explains one common change that can alter partner-point claims.
The ROI is a competitive selection record, not a queue ticket or a state nomination application.
Victoria occupation eligibility and priority sectors
An applicant needs a valid skills assessment in an occupation eligible for the chosen federal visa. Victoria does not treat a broad job title as enough: the nominated ANZSCO occupation, assessment outcome and SkillSelect EOI must align.
In the latest published ROI settings for 2025–26, Victoria identified priority sectors including health, social services, education, construction, new energy and advanced manufacturing, with hospitality and tourism also prioritised for subclass 491. For offshore 491 candidates, health, social services and education were prioritised. These settings may change when the 2026–27 program opens.
Check
Why it matters
Useful VEM guide
Correct ANZSCO occupation
The work duties and qualifications must support the occupation, not merely resemble its title.
Occupation eligibility comes from the federal skilled lists; Victoria then applies program-year selection priorities.
Skills assessment, English and points
The EOI score must be supportable at invitation. Victoria’s nomination adds five points for subclass 190 or fifteen points for subclass 491, but the minimum 65-point threshold is not a competitive invitation score and is not a promise of selection.
Skills assessment
The occupation must match the EOI. Victoria requires at least 12 weeks of assessment validity remaining when the nomination application is lodged.
English evidence
At least Competent English is required, and the test generally needs at least 12 weeks of validity remaining for the state nomination application.
Points claims
Age, English, employment, qualifications, Australian study and partner claims must be evidenced at the relevant invitation and visa stages.
The skills assessment, EOI occupation and evidence must tell the same story before an ROI is selected.
How to apply for Victoria state nomination
The state nomination and federal visa processes use separate systems. Do not confuse the Live in Melbourne portal with SkillSelect or ImmiAccount.
1
Choose subclass 190 or 491
Check federal visa eligibility and the Victorian residence, employment and commitment criteria for the intended subclass.
2
Submit or update the SkillSelect EOI
Enter accurate occupation, points, work, English, partner and location information. An EOI is not a visa application and does not create a Bridging Visa.
3
Submit the Victorian ROI when the program is open
Use the EOI number in the Live in Melbourne portal. Keep only one active ROI and ensure the EOI and ROI are consistent.
4
Wait for ROI selection
Victoria selects competitive profiles during invitation rounds. An eligible ROI may remain unselected and there is no guaranteed timeframe.
5
Lodge the nomination application
If invited, upload the evidence through the Live in Melbourne portal before the invitation expires.
6
Lodge the visa application
After nomination approval and SkillSelect invitation, submit the federal visa application through ImmiAccount within the invitation period and pay the current visa charge.
Victoria 491 visa permanent residency pathway
The phrase “Victoria 491 visa permanent residency” refers to the later subclass 191 Regional Provisional stream. A 491 grant is not permanent residence and nomination does not convert it automatically after three years.
A subclass 491 holder may be eligible to apply for the subclass 191 permanent-residence visa after holding the eligible visa for at least three years. The current 191 rules require ATO Notices of Assessment for three income years out of the five-year eligible visa period, compliance with the eligible visa conditions and no minimum income threshold.
491 stage
What to maintain
Why it matters for subclass 191
Regional residence
Live in a designated regional area and keep an accurate address history.
Supports compliance with the regional conditions attached to the 491 visa.
Work and study
Follow the location conditions shown in the grant notice and VEVO.
Subclass 191 requires compliance with the eligible visa conditions.
Tax records
Lodge tax returns correctly and retain ATO Notices of Assessment.
Three income-year notices are mandatory for the current Regional Provisional stream.
Three-year holding period
Track the eligible visa grant and holding dates.
The applicant must have held an eligible visa for at least three years.
Documents are generally uploaded only after Victoria selects the ROI and invites a formal nomination application. The exact checklist depends on the subclass, residence, employment and claims made.
Document group
Examples
Claim supported
Identity and immigration status
Passport, current visa grant, VEVO and name-change records.
Identity, age and lawful status.
Victorian residence
Six months of main-account statements, lease, utilities, driver licence or proof-of-age card.
Living in Victoria or regional Victoria.
Employment and earnings
Employment contract, position description, recent payslips, superannuation statement and offer letter.
Skilled employment, employer location and annual-earnings estimate.
Skills and English
Skills assessment, English result, professional registration where relevant.
Occupation eligibility and Victorian validity requirements.
EOI points
Qualifications, employment references, Australian study, partner and other points evidence.
Every claim in the SkillSelect points score.
Regional postcode
Residential and workplace addresses tied to official postcode evidence.
Victoria 491 regional residence and employment eligibility.
Evidence mismatch risk: If the EOI or ROI says you live in one location, earn a particular amount or hold a certain occupation history, the nomination evidence must support that claim. An unverified claim can lead to refusal and Victoria may not provide renomination.
Victoria nomination cost and processing time
Victoria does not charge a fee for an ROI or state nomination application. The federal visa application, skills assessment, English test, police certificates, health examinations, translations and professional services can still create substantial costs.
Item
Current guide
Important distinction
Victorian ROI
No state fee.
Submitting an ROI does not guarantee invitation.
Victorian nomination
No state fee.
Nomination approval does not guarantee federal visa grant.
Subclass 190 visa
Home Affairs lists the main-applicant charge from AUD6,140 from 1 July 2026.
Additional applicants and other costs can increase the total.
Subclass 491 visa
Home Affairs lists the main-applicant charge from AUD6,140 from 1 July 2026.
This is separate from the later subclass 191 charge.
ROI wait
No published processing timeframe.
Invitation rounds have no fixed dates and selection is competitive.
Federal visa processing
Use the current Home Affairs processing-time guide.
Do not combine ROI waiting, nomination assessment and visa processing into one number.
Compare Victoria with other state nomination programs
A Victorian nomination cannot be transferred to another state. Before submitting an ROI, compare current occupation, residence and employment settings rather than assuming every jurisdiction uses the same selection method.
A registered migration agent or Australian legal practitioner can help analyse occupation selection, skills-assessment validity, points evidence, regional eligibility, EOI/ROI consistency and the federal visa application. Professional assistance cannot create an invitation date, guarantee ROI selection or move a profile ahead of another candidate.
Is Victoria’s 2026–27 skilled visa nomination program open?
Not at the review date of 22 July 2026. Live in Melbourne states that the 2026–27 program is not yet open. Check the official page before submitting or withdrawing an ROI.
What is the difference between a 190 visa Victoria pathway and a Victoria 491 visa?
Subclass 190 is a permanent visa and state nomination adds 5 points. Subclass 491 is a five-year provisional regional visa, adds 15 points and may lead to subclass 191 permanent residence after the relevant requirements are met.
When is the next 190 visa invitation round Victoria?
Victoria does not publish fixed invitation-round dates. Rounds occur throughout an open program year, and an eligible ROI has no guaranteed selection timeframe.
What are the main Victoria 491 visa requirements for an onshore applicant?
The current published settings require the applicant to live and work in regional Victoria in skilled employment for an employer physically located there, as well as meeting age, English, skills-assessment, points, EOI and ROI requirements.
Can an offshore applicant seek Victoria 491 nomination?
Yes, under the latest published settings offshore applicants could be considered. They must commit to living and working in regional Victoria, and sector priorities may apply. Recheck the 2026–27 settings when the program opens.
Does a Victoria ROI guarantee an invitation?
No. An ROI is not a nomination application, has no processing timeframe and is ranked competitively against other ROIs.
Can I submit separate ROIs for subclass 190 and 491?
No. Victoria permits only one active ROI at a time. Changing the visa subclass or other ROI information generally requires withdrawal and a new ROI when submissions are open.
How does the Victoria 491 visa permanent residency pathway work?
A 491 holder may apply for subclass 191 after holding the eligible visa for at least three years, providing ATO Notices of Assessment for three income years and showing compliance with the eligible visa conditions. Permanent residence is not automatic.
How much does Victoria state nomination cost?
Victoria does not charge for the ROI or nomination application. Federal visa charges, skills assessment, English testing, health, police, translation and professional-service costs are separate.
Does 65 points guarantee Victoria nomination?
No. Sixty-five points is the federal minimum threshold. Victoria also ranks ROIs using age, English, experience, education, occupation skill level, partner skills, onshore earnings and sector priorities.
Mr. Phong Cao is a licensed migration agent by MARA (MARN: 1577877). He is also a member of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA: 12648), one of the most reputable organizations in the field of immigration in Australia. In addition, Mr. Phong Cao holds a QEAC certification in study abroad consulting (QEAC: K580) and Australian real estate investment (RA85931). With over 12 years of experience in Australian immigration, he provides comprehensive solutions for studying and settling in Australia.
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