Victoria Skilled Visa Nomination Program

The Victoria Skilled Visa Nomination Program, provides the skilled migrants with a pathway for the permanent residency in Victoria. In case anyone is willing to take advantage of this opportunity, they are required to submit the Registration of Interest. However, to check eligibility before making the application remains quite critical to avoid the rejection straightaway.

All these skills which the successful applicants bring into Victoria, it doesn’t just benefit the employers but a broader Victorian economy. There are 2 visa pathways that are provided with the program. They are,

Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190)- it is the skilled migrants permanent visa for living and working from anywhere in Victoria.

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)- it is for the skilled migrants already living and working in the regional area of Victoria. The visa provides the pathway for the permanent residency through Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa subclass 191.

From 2022, the applicants are also required to submit the Registration of Interest or ROI. It is then they must be selected on the competitive merit for making an application for the visa nomination. Before submission of ROI, the applicants are also required to ensure that they are meeting all of the eligibility requirements that are associated with the Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).

Applying for Selection Again

The previous year’s program, it was quite competitive, with around 15,000 registrations of the submitted ROI. The applicants who didn’t get selected, they are encouraged to submit the fresh ROI for the current year program. However, before doing the same, make sure to know about some changes brought in with the current year Victoria Skilled Visa Nomination Program.

• Apart from applicants who live in Victoria, the applicants living outside the country will also be selected for subclass 190 visas in all of the eligible occupations.
• For Subclass 491 visa, apart from applicants who already live in Victoria, the applicants who live offshore can also make the application. However, it is important to note that the authorities would be prioritizing the health occupations for the subclass 491 visa nomination.

Highly Eligible Occupations

All the occupations that remain relevant on the occupation list of the Department of Home Affairs, they are eligible, and the applicants wouldn’t be required for using the STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) skills and work within the target sector for making the application. For further information regarding the eligibility requirements in general, check for Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).

Victorian Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa

This visa allows the skilled migrants for living and working from anywhere in Victoria in case if they have a permanent visa. All of the eligible occupations remain open for the overseas applicants who live outside the country.

Victorian Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa- Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility Criteria for Application to Victorian Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa nomination are,

• One must have had their ROI or the Registration of Interest selected.
• The applicant must be below the age of 45 years.
• The applicant must be living in Victoria.
• The applicant must be competent in English.
• The applicant must have a valid skills assessment in the occupation based on the eligible skilled occupation list.
• Must have received 65 points at least on the Points test conducted as per the Australian government for Expression of Interest or EOI in the SkillSelect.

For more information on Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa, refer to the subclass 190 detailed section.

Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa (Provisional)

The visa is a provisional visa. It opens up the pathway to Victoria, Australia, permanent residency. With this visa in hand, the skilled migrants are allowed to work and live in regional Victoria. Further, both the applicants who live outside or in Australia can make the application for this visa. Although it remains critically notable here that Victoria currently seems to be prioritizing the health occupations for the subclass 491 visa nominations.

Previously the best candidates from 6 sectors were able to get the invitations. Amidst the same, the health sector remained quite strong within the approach, while the others were able to grab around 62% of total invitations.

• Agri-food
• Medical Research
• Health
• Life Sciences
• Advanced Manufacturing
• New Energy, Emissions Reduction & the Circular Economy

In case you made the application but didn’t get selected for the nomination, try not to worry. You did not need to make a submission of another ROI till 2022, but for the 2022-23 year, you need to make a new submission.

Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa (Provisional)- Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant must be living and working in regional Victoria for any role at the ANZCO skill levels 1, 2, or 3 for the previous 3 months.
• The employment isn’t required to be at a similar skill level or the closely related one to the nominated occupation.
• The earnings are analyzed.
• In case the candidate remains offshore, the health occupations would get the priority.

The applicant must be below the age of 45.

• One must be competent in English- IELTS for 6 or equivalent.
• The applicant must provide the skills assessment which matches up with the occupation list that one nominated on the visa nomination and the EOI.
• The applicant must be able to demonstrate that they are completely committed to working, living, or studying in the designated regional area for a visa period length.

For more information on Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa (Provisional), refer to Subclass 491 detailed section.

Changes in Victoria Skilled Visa Nomination Program (2022-23 and beyond)

• Both the onshore and the offshore applicants can make the application under Subclass 190 and 491 visas. Although, for 491, the health profession is given more preference.
• Enhanced Eligibility list for Occupation; after all, it isn’t necessary for the applicants to be from STEMM skills and to work within the target industry. All occupations listed on the Department of Home Affairs remain eligible for the application in Victoria.
• Straightforward registration of the interest process is possible and critical for the Victorian Migration Department invitation. Information that’s submitted on SkillSelect EOI must remain up to date every time in order to be able to assess the profile. In simple terms, there would be few questions asked in the ROI.

Selection Criteria & Brief Application Process for Victoria Skilled Visa Nomination Program
If one wishes to get considered for the selection of the Victoria Skilled Visa Nomination program, one must be residing in Victoria and must be able to meet the requirements set by the Department of Home Affairs in regard to eligibility.

In general, the application process includes,

• Expression of Interest. The applicant is required to select Victoria as their preferred state when submitting EOI through the SkillSelect Platform.
• Registration of Interest. Carefully consider all ROI elements and the responses and then submit them on the website of the Victorian government. Ensure all is provided correctly, and do not give them a chance to ask you for correcting any provided information later.
• Applying for nomination. In case an email is received by you by the government as part of an invitation to reply, make sure you do it within a specified timeframe. In general, it is 14 days from the date of invitation.
• Apply for Visa. If the nomination application is made successfully, give the visa application to the Department of Home Affairs. It must be done within 60 days from the date of the nomination.

Key Highlights of Victoria Skilled Occupation List

This program provides the skilled migrants with the PR to Victoria. Some key highlights associated herein are,

• The process is expected to be easier in terms of eligibility in comparison to the previous FY, as quite a number of nominated visa allocations, they increased significantly.
• Both the onshore and the offshore applicants have been invited, and this is amazing news for anyone who isn’t residing in Australia currently.
• In response to the skills shortage, in the current year, the eligible occupation list includes all the skilled occupations that remain listed under DoHA or the Department of Home Affairs.
• If previous ROI submission was made, one still remains eligible for submitting the new ROI.

Bottom Line

The Victorian Skilled Visa Nomination Program received quite some changes in the current years, considering the societal and the economic conditions. This is why it becomes important to understand the eligibility requirements and then make the application accordingly.

In case you need any help, consult with the migration consultant or agent for getting professional advice or help.