Quick Answer
On 13 October 2026 Victoria announced that its 2026–27 skilled nomination program will charge fees for the first time. A Registration of Interest (ROI) costs $60 ($66 incl. GST) and a 190 or 491 nomination application costs $180 ($198 incl. GST). The nomination fee applies only if you are invited and then apply. ROIs are now ranked with the Victorian Points Test (VPT). It weights 7 factors (age, English, experience, education, occupation skill level, partner skills and Victorian earnings) and has no fixed pass mark. The 2026–27 program has not opened yet. Old ROIs do not carry over, so you will need to submit a new one when it opens.
Victoria has published the rules for its 2026–27 Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) nomination program before opening it. There are two big changes for anyone hoping to be nominated by Victoria: you now pay to register and apply, and a published points test, separate from the Home Affairs points test, now decides who gets invited. This guide sets out what Live in Melbourne has confirmed and how to work out where you stand.
Planning a Victorian 190 or 491 nomination? Umar Ashraf (MARA #2619222) can work out your Victorian Points Test score and check your EOI before the program opens. Consultations are available in English, Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi. Book a free consultation →
New Victorian Nomination Fees for 2026–27
| Fee | Excluding GST | Including GST* |
|---|---|---|
| Registration of Interest (ROI) | $60 | $66 |
| Subclass 190 nomination application** | $180 | $198 |
| Subclass 491 nomination application** | $180 | $198 |
*GST (10%) applies only if you are in Australia when you pay.
**You pay the nomination fee only if you are invited to apply for nomination and then submit the application.
Points worth knowing:
- The ROI fee is charged once per program year. If you withdraw your ROI and submit a new one in the same program year, you are not charged again.
- These are Victorian Government fees. They are separate from the Home Affairs visa application charge you pay when lodging the 190 or 491 visa itself (see our 2026–27 visa fees guide).
- The fees are small next to the visa charge. More importantly, they make it costly to file ROIs “just in case” with incomplete evidence.
Source: Live in Melbourne: Update – Victoria’s skilled visa nomination program 2026–27 (published 13 October 2026).
How the Victorian Points Test (VPT) Works
Victoria ranks every ROI using its own Victorian Points Test, which is separate from the 65-point Home Affairs points test. You still need at least 65 points in SkillSelect to be eligible for a 190 or 491 visa. Your VPT total then decides where you rank against other Victorian applicants.
There is no fixed pass mark. In each round, Victoria invites the ROIs with the highest VPT totals at that time, through two channels:
- Most competitive: the highest VPT totals across all eligible occupations.
- Priority industry: the highest VPT totals within each priority industry (healthcare, social assistance, education and construction, listed below).
Victoria has said it cannot prioritise invitations for personal circumstances, such as a visa or skills assessment that is about to expire.
VPT Points Table (2026–27)
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Age | 20–29: 300 (maximum) · 18: 265 · 19: 282 · 30: 286 · 31: 270 · 32: 256 · 33: 240 · 34: 226 · 35: 210 · 36: 196 · 37: 180 · 38: 166 · 39: 150 · 40: 136 · 41: 106 · 42: 76 · 43: 46 · 44: 16 |
| English | Competent: 0 · Proficient: 100 · Superior: 200 |
| Experience in nominated occupation | 0 yrs: 0 · 1 yr: 20 · 2–3 yrs: 40 · 4–5 yrs: 60 · 6–7 yrs: 80 · more than 8 yrs: 100 |
| Education | Other: 25 · Bachelor/Honours: 50 · Masters: 75 · PhD: 100 |
| Occupation skill level | Skill level 1: 50 · Skill level 2 or 3: 0 |
| Partner’s skill | 50, if you claimed 10 partner points in your EOI, your partner is included in the visa application and your partner’s occupation is a current priority industry occupation. Otherwise 0. |
| Annual earnings from current skilled employment in Victoria | $80,000–$84,999: 8, rising about 8 points per $5,000 band, up to $170,000 and over: 150 |
Source: Live in Melbourne: Victorian Points Test. The full earnings table is on that page.
What the VPT Rewards
- Age matters more than anything else. It carries up to 300 points, more than any other factor. The score falls from 300 at 29 to 210 at 35 and then drops steeply after 40 (106 at 41, just 16 at 44).
- English is the factor you can most easily change. Moving from Proficient to Superior adds 100 VPT points, as much as having more than 8 years of experience.
- Skill level 2 and 3 occupations get 0 for occupation skill level, so most trades start 50 points behind professionals. Trades listed under the construction priority industry still have their own invitation channel.
- Working in Victoria pays off. Skilled earnings in Victoria of $170,000 or more are worth 150 points. Earnings below $80,000 score nothing.
Worked Examples
| Profile | VPT calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Age 29, Proficient English, 3 years’ experience, Masters, skill level 1 occupation, single, not working in Victoria | 300 + 100 + 40 + 75 + 50 + 0 + 0 | 565 |
| Age 35, Superior English, 9 years’ experience, PhD, skill level 1 occupation, qualifying partner, earning $120,000 in Victoria | 210 + 200 + 100 + 100 + 50 + 50 + 71 | 781 |
| Age 31, Competent English, 2 years’ experience, trade qualification (“Other”), skill level 3 trade, single, earning $90,000 in Victoria | 270 + 0 + 40 + 25 + 0 + 0 + 24 | 359 |
The third applicant ranks low in the “most competitive” channel. If their trade is on the construction priority list, though, they compete only against other applicants in that subgroup, so a priority occupation can matter more than the raw total.
2026–27 Priority Industries and Occupations
Victoria’s four priority industries for 2026–27 are listed below, with examples of the priority occupations. The full ANZSCO lists are on the Live in Melbourne VPT page.
| Priority industry | Example occupations |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | Registered nurses (all listed specialisations), midwife, nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, sonographer, radiographer, pharmacist (hospital), speech pathologist, specialist physicians and surgeons, psychiatrist, dental technician |
| Social assistance | Clinical, educational and organisational psychologists, social worker, welfare worker |
| Education | Teachers: middle school, secondary, special needs. Early childhood: early childhood (pre-primary) teacher. Applicants with 1+ years of relevant experience and Proficient or Superior English are prioritised. |
| Construction | Professionals: construction project manager, surveyor, geotechnical engineer, other spatial scientist, geophysicist, hydrogeologist. Trades: electrician, plumber (general, airconditioning, roof, drainer, gasfitter), carpenter and joiner, bricklayer, stonemason, glazier, wall and floor tiler, solid plasterer, roof tiler, building inspector, airconditioning and refrigeration mechanic, sheet metal worker, metal fabricator, metal machinist, toolmaker, motor mechanic, automotive electrician, electrical engineering technician |
These priorities closely match the sectors the federal government now fast-tracks under Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 (construction, healthcare and teaching). A Victorian nomination in one of these occupations is likely to be processed faster by Home Affairs as well.
When Does the 2026–27 Victorian Program Open?
No opening date has been announced. Live in Melbourne says details will be published “when available”. If you lodged an ROI in a previous program year and want to be considered in 2026–27, you must log in and submit a new ROI once the program opens. Your old one will not be considered automatically.
Other states are at different stages. See our 2026–27 invitation rounds tracker and which states are inviting. Tasmania, for example, opened its ROI in August.
What to Do Now, Before Victoria Opens
- Calculate your VPT total using the table above, and see which factor you could improve fastest.
- Retake English if you are near the next band. Going from Proficient to Superior is worth 100 VPT points and 10 extra SkillSelect points.
- Update your SkillSelect EOI, because your VPT total is partly calculated from your EOI. Experience, English and partner claims must match your evidence.
- Get your earnings evidence ready if you work in Victoria. Live in Melbourne publishes an Annual Earnings Estimation guide.
- Check your skills assessment and English test dates. Victoria will not prioritise you because a document is about to expire.
- Compare your 190 vs 491 options. See our 189 vs 190 vs 491 guide, and plan around the 2027 points test reform.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Victorian 190 or 491 nomination cost in 2026–27?
A Registration of Interest costs $60 excluding GST ($66 including GST), and a subclass 190 or 491 nomination application costs $180 excluding GST ($198 including GST). GST applies only if you are in Australia when you pay. The nomination fee is payable only if you are invited and submit a nomination application.
Is the Victorian ROI fee charged every time I submit?
No. The ROI fee is charged once per program year. If you withdraw and submit a new ROI in the same program year, you are not charged again.
What is the Victorian Points Test?
The Victorian Points Test (VPT) is Victoria’s own ranking system for 190 and 491 ROIs. It scores seven factors: age, English, years of experience in the nominated occupation, education, occupation skill level, partner’s skill and annual earnings from skilled employment in Victoria. It is separate from the Home Affairs 65-point test.
What is the pass mark for the Victorian Points Test?
There is no fixed pass mark. In each invitation round Victoria invites the ROIs with the highest VPT totals, both across all occupations and within each priority industry.
Has Victoria’s 2026–27 skilled nomination program opened?
Not yet. As of 14 October 2026, no opening date has been announced. Live in Melbourne will publish program details when they are available.
Does my ROI from last year still count?
No. If you submitted an ROI in a previous program year, you must submit a new ROI through the Live in Melbourne portal once the 2026–27 program opens.
Which industries does Victoria prioritise in 2026–27?
Healthcare, social assistance, education (teachers and early childhood teachers) and construction (construction professionals and construction trades).
Disclaimer: This article summarises information published by the Victorian Government on the Live in Melbourne website as of 14 October 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Victorian nomination criteria, fees and priority occupations can change, so check the current Live in Melbourne pages or speak to a MARA-registered agent before you lodge.
Call Umar directly: 0424 260 655
Email: info@magpieconsultants.com.au
Office: Office #3, 8/10 Childs Road, Epping VIC 3076
Consultations in: English | اردو Urdu | ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Punjabi | हिन्दी Hindi
Umar Ashraf
MARA Registered Migration Agent & Education Consultant | MARA #2619222 | Epping, Melbourne VIC
Umar Ashraf is a MARA-registered migration agent specialising in complex cases, visa cancellations, ART tribunal appeals, and employer sponsorship. He provides consultations in English, Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi.
