Victoria's May 2026 invitation round

A factual breakdown of the latest Victorian skilled visa invitation round - occupations invited, points thresholds, salary signals, and what applicants in the queue should know.

Victoria released its latest batch of skilled visa nominations on 1 May 2026, inviting candidates across a wide range of professional occupations for both the Subclass 190 (permanent) and Subclass 491 (provisional regional) pathways. This article breaks down what the data shows - no speculation, just the facts from the invitation round.

• 35+ Occupations invited

• 80-105 cut-off points range

• Invitations for both subclass 190 and subclass 491

Key occupations invited in this round

Accountants, Marketing Specialists, Civil Engineers, Early Childhood Teachers, Applicants with ICT occupations received invitation in quite good numbers. Accountants, civil engineers, and marketing specialists were all included in this round, but the common thread across successful profiles in the data is consistent: applicants were actively working in their nominated occupation in Victoria, and their salaries were at the higher end of the market rate for that role. This is not incidental. Victoria's program criteria consistently reward candidates who can demonstrate genuine, current employment in the occupation they are nominating under. Salary is used as a proxy for genuine employment and skill level which signals that the employer has assessed the person as a qualified professional, not merely placed them in a tokenistic role.

What this round signals for applicants

• Victoria is prioritising candidates who are demonstrably employed in their nominated occupation - not merely holding the skills assessment.

• Salary acts as a quality signal. If your Victorian salary is at or above the median for your occupation, it strengthens your profile materially.

• Superior English (a score of 8.0 in each IELTS band, or equivalent) appeared as a differentiator in several occupations; not just healthcare. It is worth pursuing if you are in a competitive occupation.

• A skilled partner adds points and appears as a noted positive in at least five occupations in this round, including civil engineering, marketing, nursing, and transport engineering.

Where to verify and register your interest

All official information about Victoria's skilled visa nomination program, including eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, and how to register an expression of interest, is published by the Victorian Government at liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au. That site is the authoritative source; invitation round data, occupation lists, and program rules are updated there directly by the state government.

The 2025–26 program page at Live in Melbourne also contains the current occupation list, salary estimation tools, and supporting documentation guides. If you have lodged a registration of interest, your status is tracked via the Visa Nominations portal.

Need help assessing your Victoria nomination profile? Newsted Global's registered migration agents can review your points, occupation, and employment situation against current invitation trends and help you understand whether your profile is competitive for the next round. Reach out before the next invitation date to allow time for any profile improvements. To start a conversation, just say "Hi" (sms/WhatsApp: +61410478759)

At Newsted, we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live, and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.