Subclass 491 · VIC
Victoria regional nomination
Five-year provisional visa with fifteen nomination points. Victoria's 2026-27 subclass 491 places are not yet finalised, and 491 Registrations of Interest are not being accepted. Pathway to permanent residence through the 191 after three years of regional compliance.
The Victoria Government nominates skilled migrants for the Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. The program is administered by Live in Melbourne and selects applicants through a Registration of Interest (ROI). Victoria opened ROIs for the 2026-27 subclass 190 on 26 October 2026, but its 2026-27 subclass 491 places have not been finalised and ROIs for subclass 491 nomination are not being accepted. ROIs from earlier years do not carry over. Home Affairs recorded no Victorian 491 nominations between 1 July and 31 August 2026.
Fees for service apply from 2026-27: $60 excluding GST ($66 including GST) for an ROI, and $180 excluding GST ($198 including GST) for a nomination application, payable only if invited. GST applies only if the applicant is in Australia at the time of payment.
Checked on 27-10-2026 against Live in Melbourne, 2026-27 program status for subclass 190 and 491 (26 October 2026).
Checked on 27-10-2026 against Live in Melbourne, 2026-27 fees for service (13 October 2026).
The 491 is provisional for five years. Holders must comply with condition 8579 (live, work, and study only in a designated regional area) throughout the visa period. After three years of living and working in regional Victoria, holders may apply for the Subclass 191 permanent residence visa.
Regional area scope
Home Affairs classes most of Australia outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as designated regional areas, so Victoria outside Melbourne is regional for the 491. Geelong is Category 2 (Cities and Major Regional Centres); the rest of regional Victoria is Category 3 (Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas). Confirm a specific address against the Home Affairs postcode list.
VIC 491 eligibility
Federal eligibility
Federal 491 criteria: under 45 when invited, a suitable skills assessment obtained in the 3 years before invitation, at least Competent English at invitation, at least 65 points (including the fifteen points for state nomination), health and character.
Nominated occupation
Victoria states that applicants in all eligible occupations can submit an ROI. The occupation must be eligible for the state-nominated 491 under the Home Affairs skilled occupation list.
VIC-specific requirements
Victoria ranks every ROI with the Victorian Points Test (age, English, years of experience, education, occupation skill level, partner skills and annual earnings from skilled employment in Victoria), with no fixed pass mark. ROIs from a previous program year do not carry over. Residency and other Victorian nomination requirements for 2026-27 should be confirmed with Live in Melbourne when subclass 491 ROIs open.
Priority industries
Victoria's 2026-27 priority industries are healthcare, social assistance, education and construction. Each round invites the highest-ranked ROIs overall and the highest-ranked ROIs within each priority industry.
From the 491 to the 191
After three years of compliant residence, work, and study in a designated regional area within Victoria (or elsewhere in regional Australia), 491 holders may apply for the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. The 191 has no minimum income requirement. The applicant must provide ATO notices of assessment for three income years out of the five years of the eligible visa, must have complied with condition 8579, and must have substantially complied with the visa's other conditions.
Compliance is documented through residential leases, utility bills, employment contracts, payslips, ATO records, and bank statements showing regional transactions. Sparse documentation creates doubt at the 191 stage. Maintaining contemporaneous records throughout the provisional period is essential.
Speak with an immigration lawyer about your VIC 491 application
We assess your profile against the Victorian Points Test, the priority industries and the regional area scope, advise on the realistic prospect of nomination, and prepare both the state and federal applications to a litigation-ready standard.
Book a consultationVictoria 491 nomination activity
Checked on 22-10-2026 against Home Affairs SkillSelect and the Victoria nomination page.
- Subclass 491 nominations recorded in SkillSelect, 1 July 2026 to 31 August 2026
- 0
- Latest round published by Victoria
- 26 October 2026: Registrations of Interest opened for the subclass 190, with 900 subclass 190 places for 2026-27; subclass 491 places not yet finalised and 491 ROIs not being accepted.
Common questions
What areas of Victoria qualify as regional for the 491?
How does the VIC 491 nomination process work?
Is the Victorian 491 program open for 2026-27?
Which occupations qualify?
What conditions apply once granted?
What are VIC's priority industries for the 491?
Information current as at 27 October 2026. Victoria program settings, occupation lists, and regional postcodes are revised through the program year. Confirm current settings at liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au before lodging an application.