General skilled visa nomination questions
What occupations are eligible to apply for Victorian visa nomination?
All occupations on the relevant Department of Home Affairs occupation list are eligible
For further information on the eligibility requirements, see:
I am working for a company/business based in another state. Can I apply for Victorian nomination?
For subclass 190 visa nomination, if you are onshore, you must be living in Victoria. If you have claimed earnings from your employment in your Registration of Interest (ROI), your employer must be physically located in Victoria. Onshore applicants for subclass 491 visa nomination must be living and working in skilled employment in regional Victoria.
Do I need to be working in my nominated occupation?
If you are onshore or offshore, you are not required to be working in your nominated occupation. You must have a valid Skills Assessment in your nominated occupation and your nominated occupation must be on the eligible skills occupation list.
If you are onshore and applying for subclass 190 visa nomination, you must be currently living in Victoria. Any earnings you are claiming must be from skilled employment in Victoria. Skilled employment includes any role that is at skill levels 1, 2 or 3 in the relevant ANZSCO classification.
If you are onshore and applying for subclass 491 visa nomination, you must be living and working in skilled employment in regional Victoria.
If you are offshore and applying for subclass 491 nomination, we are currently prioritising candidates with skills in healthcare, social services and teaching.
Which occupations are you prioritising for skilled nomination?
We consider Registrations of Interest for any occupation on the Department of Home Affairs skilled occupation list. The following occupation groups will be prioritised:
- Health
- Social services
- Information Communication Technology (ICT)
- Early childhood and secondary education
- Advanced manufacturing
- Infrastructure
- Renewable energy
- Hospitality and tourism – for the 491 visa
I live in another Australian state. Can I apply for Victorian skilled visa nomination?
If you are onshore, you must be living in Victoria at the time of nomination to be eligible for Victorian skilled visa nomination.
How long am I required to live in Victoria before applying for nomination as an onshore applicant?
If you are applying as an onshore applicant, there is no minimum time for you to have lived in Victoria to be eligible. You will be asked to provide evidence that you are living in Victoria after you are invited to submit an application.
Where can I find out if my occupation is considered skilled?
Please see the ABS website where you can see a list of all ANZSCO occupations with their corresponding skill levels. Any occupation with skill level 1, 2 or 3 is considered skilled.
Why was I not asked about my employment or occupation group in my Registration of Interest (ROI)?
The Victorian Government uses all relevant information from your Skillselect EOI number when assessing your Registration of Interest.
Please make sure your EOI is up to date. This includes:
- your EOI being valid, noting that EOIs expire after 2 years,
- you have expressed interest in nomination from Victoria,
- your current address and residence location is accurate, and
- your EOI has not already been nominated.
How much does it cost to apply for Victorian visa nomination?
There is no charge to apply for Victorian visa nomination. The Department of Home Affairs will charge a fee when you submit your visa application. Visit the Department of Home Affairs for more information on visa charges.
What are the conditions of visa nomination?
The conditions of Victorian visa nomination are set out on the Skilled Nominated subclass 190 and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) subclass 491 visa pages.
When does the two-year visa nomination commitment to live and work in Victoria begin?
The commitment begins on the date you arrive in Australia. If you already live within Australia, the commitment begins at the time your visa is granted.
Where in Victoria does a nominated visa allow me to live?
The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is a permanent visa allowing you to live and work anywhere in the state of Victoria, including Melbourne.
The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is a provisional five-year visa where you must live and work in regional Victoria (this includes some outer Melbourne areas does not include inner Melbourne).
There is a list of eligible postcodes for the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).
How long is visa nomination valid for?
If you are nominated by the Victorian Government, you will automatically receive an invitation to apply for your visa from the Department of Home Affairs. You will have 60 days to lodge your visa application.
How much money do I need to migrate to Melbourne?
You are not required to provide evidence of financial resources when you apply for visa nomination.
Your annual earnings may be considered as part of your Registration of Interest (ROI) for skilled nomination. Please see Registration of Interest page for more details.
Is an English language test required as part of the visa nomination application?
You must indicate your valid English language test result in your SkillSelect EOI when you apply for nomination.
We accept all English language tests which are deemed eligible by the Department of Home Affairs.
Passport holders and citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States of America, or the Republic of Ireland do not need to provide English language test results. If this exemption applies to you, you must provide a copy of the bio page of your passport.
Does the Victorian Government accept English language tests other than IELTS?
Yes, we accept all English language tests which are deemed eligible by the Department of Home Affairs:
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- Occupational English Test (OET)
- Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT) undertaken before 26 July 2023
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) test (also known as Certificate in Advanced English).
What documents are required as part of a visa nomination application?
Information about documents required can be found on the specific visa page:
Is a full skills assessment required?
Yes, you must provide a full Skills Assessment in your nomination application. Please note: a provisional Skills Assessment issued for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) will not be sufficient.
Do I have to use a migration agent?
No, you do not have to use a migration agent to apply for visa nomination. You can find out more about using an agent on the Using a Migration Agent page.
Where can I find information on sponsoring a family member to come and live in Australia?
Why do I need to complete a Registration of Interest for Victorian State Visa Nomination?
To be considered for Victorian skilled visa nomination, you must first submit a Registration of Interest (ROI). The information you provide in your SkillSelect EOI and your ROI helps us to select applicants for Victorian visa nomination.
A ROI is not an application for Victorian visa nomination. There is a high level of interest in Victorian nomination and a limited number of nomination places available. Therefore, only the most competitive applicants across the combination of selection factors are invited to apply. It is important that the information in your SkillSelect EOI, ROI and nomination application is genuine, accurate and up to date.
What’s the difference between an Expression of Interest and a Registration of Interest?
An Expression of Interest is made on the Department of Home Affairs’ SkillSelect system and is a requirement for skilled visa nomination.
A Registration of Interest for Victorian State Visa Nomination in submitted on the Live in Melbourne website and helps us decide who will be selected to apply for skilled visa nomination.
What does selected to apply for nomination mean?
As part of the 2023-24 Skilled Migration Program, you must be selected to apply for Victorian skilled visa nomination before you can submit a nomination application.
You must first make an Expression of Interest (EOI) on SkillSelect and then submit a Registration of Interest for Victorian state visa nomination on Live in Melbourne. Successful Registrations of Interest will be selected to apply for visa nomination.
How do I apply for Victorian skilled visa nomination? What are the steps?
You must first submit an EOI in SkillSelect and submit a Registration of Interest (ROI) for Victorian State Visa Nomination to be considered for selection. If your ROI is selected, you can then submit a visa nomination application with the Victorian Government.
For further information, please see:
Skilled Nominated (190) visa questions
What are the work requirements to apply for visa nomination for the Skilled nominated (subclass 190) visa?
There are no employment or work requirements for Victorian nomination for a subclass 190 visa. If you claimed annual earnings in your Registration of Interest, if selected you will be required to provide evidence of your annual earnings in the nomination application. Any earnings you claimed must be from skilled employment in Victoria. Skilled employment includes any role that is at skill levels 1, 2 or 3 in the relevant ANZSCO classification.
If I am living in Australia, can I apply for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)?
If you are living in Australia, you must be currently living in Victoria at the time of nomination to be eligible for Victorian Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa nomination.
If I am offshore, can I apply for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)?
Offshore applicants are eligible to apply for Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa nomination.
Can Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) holders live in Melbourne?
Yes, Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) holders can live and work anywhere in Victoria including Melbourne.
I'm a graduate of a Victorian university. Am I eligible for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)?
Graduates can apply for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) if they meet the eligibility requirements.
How many points do I need in order to be selected to apply for Victorian visa nomination?
You must have 65 points at minimum (including points awarded for state nomination) to be nominated by Victoria for the State Nominated visa (subclass 190).
Do I need to keep my EOI updated?
Yes, please ensure your EOI always contains the correct information.
What are the differences between the subclass 190 visa and subclass 189 visa?
| Subclass 190 visa | Subclass 189 visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria's role | Victoria provides visa nomination | Victoria plays no role |
| Visa type | Permanent visa | Permanent visa |
| Work and study entitlements | Allows work and study in Australia | Allows work and study in Australia |
| Requirements | Must meet state or territory government nomination requirements and visa requirements | Must meet visa requirements |
| Commitment to Victoria | For Victorian nomination, you must commit to living in Victoria for at least 2 years | N/A |
| Visa processing time | Department of Home Affairs – subclass 190 processing times | Department of Home Affairs – subclass 189 processing times |
Skilled Work Regional (491) visa questions
What are the eligibility requirements to apply for visa nomination for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)?
Eligibility requirements can be viewed on the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) page.
What sectors and skills are being targeted for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)?
If you are living offshore or in regional Victoria, you can submit a Registration of Interest if you have a Skills Assessment for any eligible occupation on the Department of Home Affairs skilled occupation list. Health, social services and teaching occupations are being prioritised and we encourage applicants in all other occupations to submit a Registration of Interest as you may be considered.
Does the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa offer a pathway to permanent residency?
Yes, subclass 491 visa holders may be eligible to apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191). For more information, please see the Department of Home Affairs’ website.
What are the work requirements to apply for visa nomination for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa?
If you are living overseas, you must have a Skills Assessment for an eligible occupation.
If you are living in Australia, you must be living and working in skilled employment in regional Victoria at the time of nomination. Skilled employment includes any role that is at skill levels 1, 2 or 3 in the relevant ANZSCO classification.
If I am living in Australia, can I apply for Victorian Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa nomination?
You must be currently living in regional Victoria to be eligible for Victorian visa nomination for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa.
Are graduates and PhD students eligible for Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa nomination?
Yes, graduates and PhD students are eligible for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491), as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.
How many points do I need in order to be selected to apply for Victorian Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa nomination?
You must have a minimum of 65 points (including points awarded for state nomination) to be selected to apply for Victorian Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa nomination. You must also meet all other eligibility requirements.
Where can holders for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa live?
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa holders must live and work in regional Victoria once the visa has been granted. The Mornington Peninsula and Geelong are considered designated regional areas of Victoria for migration purposes. For a complete list of postcodes considered to be in regional Victoria, please see the Department of Home Affairs’ website.