Victorian Points Test: Victoria Introduces a New Points Ranking for 2026-27 Skilled Visa Nomination

Updated on 14 October 2026 Key takeaways

Victoria now ranks all Registrations of Interest (ROIs) for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) using the Victorian Points Test (VPT).

• The VPT favours younger, highly qualified applicants with higher levels of English.

• Seven factors are scored. The highest possible total is 950 points, or 800 points if you are not working in Victoria.

• There is no fixed pass mark. Invitations go to the ROIs with the highest totals in each invitation round.

• The 2026-27 priority industries are Healthcare, Social Assistance, Education and Construction.

• Victoria has said the 2026-27 program will open soon. Eligibility criteria will be published when it does.

• Fees now apply from 2026-27. The ROI costs $60 excluding GST, and a 190 or 491 nomination application costs $180 excluding GST, payable only if you are invited. ROIs from earlier program years must be resubmitted when the program opens.

Victoria's New Points Ranking

Victoria uses the Victorian Points Test to rank every ROI it receives. Your VPT total is worked out from your SkillSelect Expression of Interest (EOI) and your Victorian ROI. ROIs are then ranked from highest to lowest.

The VPT is separate from the Australian Government's points test. SkillSelect requires at least 65 points for visa eligibility. The VPT only decides how ROIs are ranked for Victorian nomination. You must meet the federal visa requirements and Victoria's nomination requirements.

VPT Scoring Table

The experience bands are shown as Victoria publishes them, so check them against the official page before you work out your score. The earnings factor only applies if you are working in Victoria. Applicants outside Victoria score 0 for earnings, so their highest possible total is 800 points.

Two Ways to be Invited

When you submit an ROI, you are considered under two options.

1. Most competitive. 

   In each invitation round, the ROIs with the highest VPT totals across all eligible occupations in the pool are invited.

2. Priority industry. 

   The ROIs with the highest VPT totals within each priority industry are invited.

There is no fixed pass mark, so your chance depends on the other ROIs in the pool at the time. Victoria does not give individual ranking advice and does not prioritise invitations for personal circumstances such as age or visa expiry. An invitation is never guaranteed.

Priority Industries for 2026-27

• Healthcare

  Registered nurses across many specialties, midwives, nurse practitioners, allied health professionals such as radiographers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech pathologists, medical specialists and dental technicians.

• Social Assistance

  Psychologists, social workers and welfare workers.

• Education

  Middle school, secondary school and special needs teachers. Early childhood teachers are also listed. ROIs with one or more years of relevant work experience and Proficient or Superior English are prioritised for invitation.

• Construction

  Construction professionals, including construction project managers, surveyors, geotechnical engineers, geophysicists and hydrogeologists. Construction trades, including plumbers, electricians, carpenters, bricklayers, tilers, glaziers, metal fabricators and motor mechanics.

The 2025-26 ROI page also listed New Energy, Advanced Manufacturing and Hospitality and Tourism (for the 491). These are not on the 2026-27 list published on the VPT page.

ROI Lodgment and Fees

Victoria's update of 13 October 2026 confirms that fees now apply to the 2026-27 program. The ROI fee is $60 excluding GST ($66 including GST) and is charged once per program year. If you withdraw and submit a new ROI in the same program year, you are not charged again. The nomination application fee is $180 excluding GST ($198 including GST) for both the 190 and the 491. It is payable only if you are invited to apply and submit a nomination application. GST of 10% applies if you are in Australia when you pay. The Home Affairs visa fee is separate and is paid when you lodge your visa application.

If you submitted an ROI in a previous program year and want to be considered in 2026-27, you must log in to the Live in Melbourne portal and submit a new ROI when the program opens. Under the 2025-26 rules, only one ROI could be active at a time and an ROI could not be edited once submitted, so changes to earnings, visa subclass, partner points or EOI number meant withdrawing and resubmitting. Check that this still applies when the program opens.

Preparing Before The Program Opens

Check that your nominated occupation is on the priority list and matches your qualifications and work experience.

• Confirm that your skills assessment is full and valid for your nominated occupation.

• Keep your SkillSelect EOI accurate and up to date.

• Work out your estimated VPT total with a points calculator.

• If you work in Victoria, estimate your annual earnings carefully. Over-estimating earnings is a common reason for refusal.