Victoria’s Skilled Migration Program 2022-23

Victoria’s Skilled Migration Program 2022-23

Victoria’s 2022-23 Skilled Migration Program is now open. It is open to applicants living in Victoria and overseas, the program provides skilled migrants with a pathway to permanent residency in Victoria. The skills that successful applicants bring to Victoria benefits employers and the broader Victorian economy.

The program provides two visa pathways. The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is a permanent visa for skilled migrants to live and work anywhere in Victoria. The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is for skilled migrants to live and work in regional Victoria and provides a pathway to permanent residency through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191).

As with previous years, applicants will first need to submit a Registration of Interest (ROI) and then be selected on competitive merit to apply for visa nomination.

Before submitting an ROI, applicants should ensure that they meet all eligibility requirements:

Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)

ROIs will be assessed until May 2023.

Not selected in 2021-22?

The 2021-22 program was highly competitive with over 15,000 Registrations of Interest submitted. Applicants who were not selected to apply are encouraged to submit a new Registration of Interest for the 2022-23 program.

Changes for the 2022-23 program

Onshore and offshore applicants can apply

In addition to applicants living in Victoria, Victoria will also be selecting applicants living outside Australia for the subclass 190 visa in all eligible occupations.
For the subclass 491 visa in addition to applicants living in Victoria, applicants living offshore can apply. Victoria is currently prioritising health occupations for subclass 491 visa nominations.

More eligible occupations

All occupations on the relevant Department of Home Affairs occupation list are now eligible, and applicants are no longer required to be using STEMM skills and working in a target sector to apply.

Fast track nomination for health and teaching occupations

Fast track nomination is now available for skilled visa candidates with an eligible health, teaching or social services occupation who also meet the minimum visa requirements.
This means that Registrations of Interest (ROI) with a fast track nomination occupation will be selected to apply for visa nomination within two weeks of submission. Providing the nomination application meets all minimum visa requirements, Victorian visa nomination will then be approved within five business days.
Candidates with other occupations will continue to be selected and nominated using the existing process.

What nominations are eligible for fast track nomination?

A full list is available on the Fast track nomination occupations page.

What are the minimum nomination requirements?

65 points on your SkillSelect EOI,
Competent English,
a valid skills assessment for your occupation,
be under 45 years of age,
be committed to living in Victoria.

New candidates

For candidates with a fast track nomination occupation, there are four steps to Victorian visa nomination.
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs external link using SkillSelect.
Using the EOI number received from SkillSelect, submit a Registration of Interest (ROI) for Victorian nomination via the Live in Melbourne portal external link. Once ROI is received, they will select the ROI to apply for visa nomination within two weeks.
Once selected to apply for Victorian visa nomination, submit an application for either subclass 190 or 491 visa nomination on the Live in Melbourne portal external link. The application will be approved if the minimum nomination requirements are met.
When the nomination application is confirmed, submit a visa application for the selected visa with the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs external link.

What about existing ROIs with an occupation on the fast track nomination occupation list?

If a Registration of Interest (ROI) has already been submitted with a fast track nomination occupation, and meet the minimum visa requirements, your ROI will be selected within two weeks.

EOIs without existing ROI for Victorian nomination

If EOI number has been obtained via SkillSelect, then an ROI for Victorian State Visa Nomination must be submitted to be considered for selection. Providing the nomination application meets the minimum visa requirements, the ROI will be selected to apply for visa nomination within two weeks of submission.

Fast track nomination occupations

Occupations eligible for fast track nomination

491 Visa Changes

Onshore candidates living and/or working in metropolitan Melbourne can now submit a registration of Interest (ROI) for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) nomination.
The new expanded eligibility criteria opens Victoria’s subclass 491 visa program to skilled migrants living anywhere in Victoria, including previously ineligible metropolitan Melbourne residents who wish to relocate to work and live in a designated regional area of Victoria
Subclass 491 visa holders must live, work and study in a regional area of Victoria for at least three years before they can apply for their subclass 191 visa, which provides permanent residency. This means the applicant may need to move to a designated regional area of Victoria or secure a job that provides them with regional employment.

New candidates

There are four steps to subclass 491 visa nomination.

Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs using SkillSelect.
Using the EOI number received from SkillSelect, submit a Registration of Interest (ROI) for Victorian nomination via the Live in Melbourne portal.
After selecting Victorian visa nomination, apply for a subclass 491 visa nomination on the Live in Melbourne portal.
If the nomination application is approved, submit a visa application with the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs.

I have already applied for the subclass 190 visa nomination; can I simultaneously apply for the subclass 491 visa nomination

If you have a Registration of Interest (ROI) for a subclass 190 and have not been selected, you can submit a new ROI for a subclass 491 after withdrawing the existing subclass 190 ROI.