Skilled visa FAQs

There’s no charge to apply for Victorian visa nomination. But the Department of Home Affairs will charge a fee when you lodge your visa. Visit the Department of Home Affairs website for more information about visa charges. 

The Victorian Government has a formal agreement with the Australian Department of Home Affairs to provide visa nomination to global talent, business and investor migrants. This is called the State Migration Agreement.

Skilled migrants nominated by the Victorian Government agree to live and work in the state of Victoria for a period of two years. Skilled migrants must advise the Skilled and Business Migration Program of their contact details three times:

• prior to arriving in Victoria
• after arriving in Victoria, and
• for a period of two years post arrival.

Email your contact details to smp.applications@liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au

On arrival to Australia, Victorian nominated skilled migrants need to complete an email survey every six months for two years. The responses and feedback in the surveys are used to evaluate and improve the Victorian Government’s Skilled and Business Migration Program.

The commitment begins on the date you arrive in Victoria. If you already live within Australia, the commitment begins at the time your visa is granted.

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 Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) is a provisional four-year visa where you must live and work in regional Victoria (this does not include Melbourne). This requirement supports the criteria to meet the second stage permanent residency visa.

There is a list of eligible postcodes for the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489).

The current processing time is approximately 12 weeks after a completed application is received. If information is missing from your application, it could take longer. Processing times vary between occupations and depend on assessment procedures. 

If your nomination application is successful, you will have four months to accept the nomination and lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect.

If you have registered your EOI on SkillSelect, and 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 should inform the Victorian Government via email to smp.applications@liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au when you make your visa application to the Department of Home Affairs.  

The amount of money you will need to bring with you to migrate to Melbourne will depend on your individual circumstances and the type of visa you apply for. As part of your visa nomination application you will be required to provide a real estimate of the total funds you have available for migration purposes.

You do not need to provide evidence of financial resources at the time of application. However, this may be requested from you at any time during the nomination assessment.

Any evidence of financial resources should be complete and accurate. If you do not provide financial information when asked to do so, it may result in an unsuccessful application. We strongly encourage you to research the cost of living in Melbourne to ensure you have adequate funds to support your settlement.

Your English language proficiency must meet the English language requirement as specified on the Visa Nomination Occupation List for Victoria.

Passport holders and citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States of America, or the Republic of Ireland don’t 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.     

Please note: the Victorian Government does not participate in the English language concession.  

Yes, you must provide a copy of your English language test when you apply.

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)
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) test (also known as Certificate in Advanced English).

Passport holders and citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States of America, or the Republic of Ireland don’t 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.     

If you are submitting an IELTS assessment a General or Academic IELTS result will be accepted, however the score requirement for nomination is the same for each. Check the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists for details of individual occupation English language requirements.  

Please note: the Victorian Government does not participate in the English language concession.

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)
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) test (also known as Certificate in Advanced English).

Yes, health practitioners can provide an OET assessment.

You can provide results from multiple OETs, recognising that an OET is a module-based test that allows you to sit components separately.

The OET assessment certificate must be attached to your visa nomination application form.

There are two ways that you may be eligible for visa nomination:

• If you have an occupation that is listed on the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists you may be eligible for Victorian visa nomination.
• If you hold a PhD you may be eligible to apply for visa nomination for an occupation not on the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists. See the streamlined pathway for international graduates.
  

Occupations are reviewed annually using Commonwealth data supplemented by research and consultation with government, unions, industry and recruitment stakeholders.

Refer to the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists page for any updates.

You will need the following documents to complete your online application:

• Detailed resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Nomination declaration (available to download in the initial stages of the application)
• Offer of employment and confirmation of employment statement (if applicable) – note, this is mandatory for Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) nomination
• Skills assessment (matching the occupation for visa nomination)
• English language test or copy of the bio page of your passport if an exclusion applies to you
• Electronic copy of the PhD completion letter or transcript (if applicable)
• Electronic copy of your Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) documents (if applicable)
• Evidence of registration (if listed as a requirement on the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists).

You will not need the following documents at the start of the application process, but you may be requested to provide them during the assessment process:

• trade qualification certificates
• available financial resources.

Yes, everyone who applies must provide a full skills assessment. Please note: a skills assessment relevant for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) will not be sufficient.

No, a matching skills assessment for your occupation is a required document at the time of lodging an application for visa nomination under the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489).

No, a complete skills assessment is only one of the criteria assessed for visa nomination.

The requirement of a job offer depends on the occupation for which you are seeking visa nomination.  Refer to the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists page to find out if a job offer is required with your nominated occupation.

If you are currently living in another Australian state or applying for the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489), you must provide a current Victorian job offer to support your application for visa nomination.

A job offer means permanent employment in your nominated occupation (not casual work) for at least 20 hours per week and for at least six continuous months.  

Required evidence of a job offer includes:

• a copy of the offer letter or contract displaying the company details, including the Australian Business Number (ABN); and
• a Confirmation of Employment Statement – available from the Supporting documents for skilled visas page.

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.

Yes, if you are living in another state or territory or have strong ties outside Victoria you are still eligible for visa nomination. However, you will be required to provide evidence of an offer of employment in your nominated occupation in Victoria.

No, if you are applying with a PhD you don’t need to have any previous work experience to be eligible for visa nomination. However, some skills assessing authorities require at least 12 months of experience in order to obtain a full skills assessment.

Yes, but you must apply for an occupation on the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists. If you are currently living in a state or territory other than Victoria, you will be required to provide evidence of an offer of employment in your nominated occupation in Victoria.

No, you can only apply for a visa nomination once you have completed your PhD. You must be able to provide an electronic copy of your completion letter or transcript. A notice of submission will not be sufficient for nomination purposes.

A recent graduate is a tertiary student who has completed one of the following, anywhere in Australia, within the last two years:

• a single qualification that required at least two years’ study
• more than one qualification that resulted in a total of at least two years’ study.

The qualification(s) must be highly relevant to the nominated occupation. Recent graduates must also meet all other minimum eligibility requirements for visa nomination.

For more information, please see Visa Nomination List for Graduates.

If you are not successful in your application for Victorian visa nomination, you can reapply after six months after the outcome of your initial application. You may also reapply if your circumstances have changed. 

To be eligible for visa nomination, you must have an occupation on the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists and meet the requirements that are specific to your nominated occupation stated on the list. You will also need a minimum of two years work experience in the occupation (unless otherwise specified) and an IELTS score or English equivalent of a six in each band (unless otherwise specified).

If you are an international graduate who has recently graduated (within the past two years) from an Australian education institution, you should refer to the Visa Nomination Occupation List for Graduates.

All other applicants should refer to the Visa Nomination Occupation List for Victoria.

See the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists page for more information.

You will need a minimum of two years paid work experience in your nominated occupation – after obtaining qualifications – unless otherwise stated. 

Yes you can. As a migrant you can be either inside or outside Australia when you apply or at the time the visa is decided.

Yes, Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) holders can live and work anywhere in Victoria including Melbourne.

Yes. ICT, nursing, engineering and building candidates that would like to apply for Victorian nomination, must first lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the Department of Home Affairs' SkillSelect.

For more information, see How to apply for Victorian visa nomination: ICT, nursing, engineering and building occupations on the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) page.

To be eligible for Victorian visa nomination under the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) you must:

• have an offer of employment in a regional area of Victoria;
• the offer of employment must be for an occupation on the Visa Nomination Occupation Lists; and
• meet any other criteria specified for the nominated occupation.

These are areas in Victoria outside of metropolitan Melbourne. See the eligible regional postcodes in Victoria on the Department of Home Affairs website.

No, Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) holders must live and work in regional Victoria only – not in Melbourne. 

Some locations on Victoria’s border such as Albury Wodonga are acceptable for Victorian Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) holders to live in. If you’re unsure whether a location is considered to be in regional Victoria, contact the Skilled and Business Migration Program.

No, dependants of Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) holders must only live and work in regional Victoria. 

No, dependants of Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) holders must go to school in regional Victoria.