Victoria Skilled Migration Program: January 2026 Invitation Round

Beyond headline points and visa subclasses, the composition of invited occupations in Victoria’s 15 January round reveals deeper labour-market and policy signals that are easy to miss if viewed superficially. At first glance, the inclusion of roles such as Marketing Specialist, Advertising Specialist, and Recruitment Consultant may appear counter-intuitive, particularly given perceptions of saturation within the broader professional services sector. However, their presence in this round reflects functional scarcity rather than occupational abundance. Victoria still has about 50% of its allocation nomination places available for subclass 190, which is likely to be filled within the next four months. The state is likely to issue approximately 400+ invitations each month starting from February until May 2026.

Understanding Victoria's Selection Behaviour

Victoria’s selection behaviour suggests that the state is not responding to volume shortages in these fields, but rather to specialised capability gaps; notably in:

• Digital performance and data-led marketing

• Sector-specific occupations (health, construction, ICT)

• Commercial roles

  
  

These invitations appear tightly filtered, often favouring candidates with demonstrated Victorian employment, senior responsibility, or niche expertise, rather than generalist profiles. In effect, the state is distinguishing between headline occupation titles and actual economic function.

ICT and Engineering: High Thresholds by Design

The continued inclusion of ICT and engineering occupations, despite elevated points thresholds, reflects a dual reality. On one hand, these occupations remain structurally critical to Victoria’s productivity, infrastructure delivery, and digital transition. On the other, they are heavily oversubscribed nationally, forcing the state to impose higher selection thresholds to manage demand within finite allocations.

The result is a nomination environment where ICT and engineering candidates must demonstrate exceptional competitiveness, often through a combination of strong points, relevant local experience, and evidence of sustained employability. High thresholds here should not be read as reduced demand, but rather as demand exceeding available nomination places.

Carpentry & Trade Occupations

Perhaps the most misunderstood signal in this round is the continued invitation of Carpenters, not only in Victoria but across multiple states. While carpentry may appear saturated in points-based systems, the reality on the ground is markedly different. Persistent shortages are being driven by:

• Sustained residential and infrastructure pipelines

• Ageing workforce attrition

• Uneven skill distribution across regions

  
  

You can possibly get qualified as a Tradie upon completing a 1 Year Trade course. Not all Trade courses are the same; learn more about the most in-demand trade courses: Trade Courses in Australia.

Teaching Pathways

Not all Trade pathways are the same. Despite oversaturation of supply, Teachers in Early Childhood settings remain in demand across all Australian states. Secondary, Primary, and Special Needs Education could also be worth considering. Because of the English hurdle, these occupations are likely to be less competitive and have lower invitation cut-off points compared to Early Childhood Education. Read more about the Teaching pathway: Teaching Migration Pathway.

State governments are increasingly prioritising retention-ready tradespeople; those already working locally, licensed, and embedded in the labour market over theoretical supply figures. The repeated selection of carpenters across jurisdictions confirms that practical delivery capacity, not EOI volume, is shaping nomination decisions.

Conclusion: The Importance of Specific Skills

Victoria is not nominating occupations in bulk; it is nominating people who solve specific economic problems. For applicants, the lesson is clear. Titles alone no longer carry weight. What matters is how, where, and in what capacity a skill is being applied within the Victorian economy.

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