Victoria is one of Australia’s most attractive destinations for skilled migrants. Melbourne’s job market, education ecosystem and multicultural lifestyle make it a preferred location for many professionals.

But state nomination is competitive. A good profile is not enough. You need the right occupation, points, documents, timing and nomination strategy.

For the 2025–26 program, Victoria received 3,400 skilled visa nomination places, including 2,700 places for subclass 190 and 700 places for subclass 491. The Live in Melbourne website also states that Victoria’s 2025–26 program is now closed to new Registrations of Interest.

What Is the 190 Visa?

The subclass 190 visa is a skilled nominated permanent visa. For Victoria, this pathway is usually attractive to applicants who want to live and work in Victoria permanently.

It is suitable for skilled professionals whose occupation and profile align with Victoria’s requirements.

What Is the 491 Visa?

The subclass 491 is a provisional regional skilled visa. Live in Melbourne describes the 491 as a provisional five-year visa with a pathway to permanent residence after living and working in regional Victoria for at least three years.

This pathway may be useful for applicants who are open to regional opportunities and can build a realistic employment pathway outside metropolitan Melbourne.

Why ROI Strategy Matters

Victoria uses a Registration of Interest process. The Live in Melbourne process includes checking eligibility, submitting or updating an EOI through SkillSelect, submitting an ROI, lodging nomination after invitation and then applying for the visa if nomination is successful.

This means applicants should not treat the ROI casually. The information submitted must be accurate, strong and aligned with supporting evidence.

What Applicants Should Prepare

Before submitting or updating an ROI, applicants should review:

• Occupation eligibility
• Points score
• Skills assessment validity
• English score
• Employment evidence
• Annual earnings, if relevant
• Victorian ties
• Regional willingness, if applying for 491
• Updated CV and documents

Final Word

Victoria nomination is competitive because demand is much higher than available places. Applicants should focus on building a complete, consistent and well-documented profile.