Victoria 190 and 491 Nomination 2026-27 – Applications open on 26 October 2026

By Sunil Jaggi (MARN 0429029) and Divya Jaggi (MARN 1807587), Directors, AUSCAN Consultants

1. What has changed for 2026-27?

The Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions has confirmed two headline changes. Fees now apply to ROIs and nomination applications. The full VPT weightings are also public. Both affect subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated, permanent) and subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional, provisional).

If you lodged an ROI in an earlier program year you will need to submit a new one in the Live in Melbourne portal when the 2026-27 program opens. The Victorian Government is opening applications on 26 October 2026 so now is the time to get ready.

2. How does the Victorian Points Test work?

Victoria scores each ROI automatically when it is submitted. It uses information from your Victorian ROI and your SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI). The test favours applicants who are younger and highly qualified with strong English.

The VPT is not the same as the federal SkillSelect points test. SkillSelect decides if you are eligible for the visa and you still need at least 65 points. The VPT only decides how you rank against other Victorian applicants.

Factor	Points range
Age	16-300
English language level	0-200
Years of experience	0-100
Education level	25-100
Occupation skill level	0-50
Partner's skills	0-50
Annual earnings (skilled employment in Victoria)	0-150
Total	41-950

3. VPT score tables for 2026-27

Age

Age	18	19	20-29	30	31	32	33	34	35
Points	265	282	300	286	270	256	240	226	210

Age	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44
Points	196	180	166	150	136	106	76	46	16

Age is the heaviest factor. Scores fall gradually through the 30s and then drop sharply after 40.

English, experience, education and occupation skill level

Factor	Level	Points
English	Competent	0
	Proficient	100
	Superior	200
Experience in nominated occupation	0 years	0
	1 year	20
	2-3 years	40
	4-5 years	60
	6-7 years	80
	More than 8 years	100
Education	Other qualifications	25
	Bachelor or Honours	50
	Master's	75
	PhD	100
Occupation skill level	Skill Level 1	50
	Skill Level 2 or 3	0

Partner's skills

You receive 50 points only if all three conditions are met. Your partner must be included in your application. You must receive 10 partner skills points in SkillSelect. Your partner's occupation must also be in a Victorian priority industry.

Single applicants and applicants with an Australian partner receive 0. So do those whose partner does not meet these requirements.

Annual earnings from skilled employment in Victoria

Annual earnings (AUD)	Points	Annual earnings (AUD)	Points
80,000-84,999	8	130,000-134,999	87
85,000-89,999	16	135,000-139,999	95
90,000-94,999	24	140,000-144,999	103
95,000-99,999	32	145,000-149,999	111
100,000-104,999	39	150,000-154,999	118
105,000-109,999	47	155,000-159,999	126
110,000-114,999	55	160,000-164,999	134
115,000-119,999	63	165,000-169,999	142
120,000-124,999	71	170,000 and over	150
125,000-129,999	79

Earnings below AUD 80,000 score zero. Victoria verifies earnings claims during the nomination application assessment so only claim what you can document.

4. Worked examples

Profile	Calculation	VPT total
Age 28 with Superior English and 5 years of experience. Master's degree. Skill Level 1. Single and not working in Victoria.	300 + 200 + 60 + 75 + 50	685
Age 34 with Proficient English and 3 years of experience. Bachelor degree. Skill Level 1. Earning AUD 100,000 in Victoria.	226 + 100 + 40 + 50 + 50 + 39	505
Age 31 with Competent English and 2 years of experience. Trade qualification ("Other"). Skill Level 3. Earning AUD 90,000 in Victoria.	270 + 0 + 40 + 25 + 0 + 24	359

5. Which industries are prioritised?

Victoria considers applicants through two routes. One is the most competitive across all eligible occupations. The other is the most competitive within a priority industry. For 2026-27 the priority industries published by Live in Melbourne are:

• Healthcare
• Social assistance (for example social work and psychology)
• Education including early childhood teaching
• Construction covering both professionals and trades

Not every occupation inside a broad industry qualifies. Conditions can also differ between the 190 and 491 pathways. Always check the current ANZSCO lists on the Live in Melbourne website instead of assuming your occupation is included.

Priority industries can matter for your partner too. The 50 partner points depend on your partner's occupation being in a priority industry.

6. New Victorian fees for 2026-27

Stage	Excluding GST	Including GST
Registration of Interest	AUD 60	AUD 66
Nomination application	AUD 180	AUD 198

• 10% GST applies to applicants who are in Australia when they pay.
• The ROI fee is charged once per program year. Withdrawing and resubmitting an ROI in the same year does not trigger a second fee.
• The nomination fee is payable only if you are invited and submit a nomination application. It applies each time you submit one regardless of the outcome.
• Payment does not guarantee an invitation or a positive outcome. Fees are generally non-refundable.
• These are Victorian Government fees. They are separate from the Department of Home Affairs visa application charge.

7. How do invitations work?

• No fixed pass mark. The pool of ROIs keeps changing. Invitations depend on how you compare with others at the time of the round.
• Two invitation approaches. Most competitive in any occupation or most competitive within a priority industry.
• Regular rounds. They run through the year.
• Separate ranking. Subclass 190 and 491 are ranked and invited separately.
• Victoria has said it cannot advise on your likelihood of invitation or how your points compare with others.

8. Advice from Sunil Jaggi and Divya Jaggi

Sunil Jaggi (MARN 0429029) and Divya Jaggi (MARN 1807587) are Directors of AUSCAN Consultants and MARA registered migration agents. This is how they suggest applicants approach 2026-27.

1. Keep federal points and Victorian points separate. A qualification or activity that earns SkillSelect points may earn nothing in the VPT. Score yourself on both before you decide on study or training or a job change.
2. Think of the VPT as a ranking and not a threshold. Do not build plans around last year's invitation rounds. The pool at the time of each round decides the outcome.
3. Treat English as your most controllable asset. If you are close to Superior a retest can add 100 VPT points. It can improve your federal score too.
4. Be realistic about age. You cannot change it and the score falls fastest after 40. If a birthday is about to lower your points plan your timeline early.
5. Align your EOI and your evidence. Victoria scores you from your SkillSelect EOI and verifies earnings later. Claims you cannot document create risk for both nomination and the visa.
6. Check your occupation against the current priority lists. Do this before you rely on the priority industry route and check again before every lodgement.
7. Model both 190 and 491. They are ranked separately. The right choice depends on your points and location flexibility and long term plans.

Sunil Jaggi (MARN 0429029) and Divya Jaggi (MARN 1807587) are Directors of AUSCAN Consultants and members of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). AUSCAN provides guidance on Australian education and skilled migration pathways.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information based on published government material available at the time of writing (17 October 2026). Migration rules and selection criteria can change. Fees and program settings can change too. This is not a substitute for advice on your individual circumstances. Check the latest official requirements or consult a MARA registered migration agent before making migration decisions.