Victoria skilled visa points test 2026-27: how the new VPT

Victoria has published a new points system for its skilled visa nomination program. It is called the Victorian Points Test (VPT), and it will rank everyone who registers interest in Victorian nomination for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) in 2026-27. Victoria also now charges a fee to register. If you are studying in Melbourne and thinking about staying on through state nomination, this changes how you will be ranked.

The program is not open yet. The Live in Melbourne website says the 2026-27 program will open soon for Registrations of Interest (ROIs), and that eligibility criteria and more details will be published when it opens. So this is a good time to understand the scoring, before anything opens.

What the Victorian Points Test is

To be considered for Victorian nomination, you first lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) in the Australian Government's SkillSelect, then submit a Registration of Interest with Victoria. Victoria now gives every ROI a VPT total and ranks all ROIs from highest to lowest.

The VPT is separate from the federal points test. Home Affairs still requires at least 65 points on the Australian points test for these visas. The VPT is only Victoria's way of choosing who to invite for nomination. You need to meet both the Australian Government's visa requirements and Victoria's nomination requirements.

Two more things stand out on the official page:

There is no fixed pass mark. In each invitation round, the ROIs with the highest VPT totals at that time are invited.
Victoria says it cannot tell you your chances or how your points compare with other people, and it does not prioritise anyone because of personal circumstances such as a visa that is about to expire.

How the points work

Your VPT total is worked out from your SkillSelect EOI and your Victorian ROI. It adds up seven factors. Victoria says the test favours younger, highly qualified applicants with higher English levels, and the numbers show that clearly.

Age. The maximum is 300 points for ages 20 to 29. It drops each year after that: 286 at 30, 240 at 33, 210 at 35, 150 at 39, and 16 at 44.
English. Competent English gets 0 points, Proficient gets 100 and Superior gets 200.
Experience in your nominated occupation. From 0 points with no experience, up to 100 points for more than 8 years.
Education. 25 points for other qualifications, 50 for a Bachelor or Honours degree, 75 for a Masters and 100 for a PhD.
Occupation skill level. 50 points for a skill level 1 occupation, 0 for skill levels 2 and 3.
Partner's skill. 50 points if you claimed partner skill points in your EOI, your partner is included in the application, and your partner's occupation is a current priority occupation.
Annual earnings from current skilled work in Victoria. This only counts if you earn $80,000 or more, starting at 8 points and rising to 150 points at $170,000 and over.

Look at the gap between English levels. Going from Competent to Superior is worth 200 points, which is close to the whole age score. For many students, the English test may be the factor they can still change.

Two ways to get invited

Every ROI is considered in two ways at once:

Most competitive. The highest VPT totals across all eligible occupations are invited.
Priority industry. The highest VPT totals within each priority industry are also invited.

The 2026-27 priority industries are healthcare, social assistance, education and construction. The official page lists the exact occupations under each one, for example registered nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, welfare workers, secondary school teachers, early childhood teachers, electricians, plumbers and carpenters. For early childhood teachers, Victoria says ROIs with one or more years of relevant experience and Proficient or Superior English will be prioritised. Check the full list on the official page before you assume your occupation is in or out.

The new fees

From the 2026-27 program, Victoria charges fees for service:

Registration of Interest: $60 excluding GST ($66 including GST)
Subclass 190 or 491 nomination application: $180 excluding GST ($198 including GST), only payable if you are invited and apply

GST applies if you are in Australia when you pay. The ROI fee is charged once per program year. An ROI is only valid for the program year it was submitted in, which runs from 1 July to 30 June. Fees are generally non-refundable, including when an ROI does not lead to an invitation. Only Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

What to do now

Read the Victorian Points Test page yourself and work out roughly where you sit on each factor.
Check whether your occupation is on the 2026-27 priority list on that page.
Make sure your SkillSelect EOI details are accurate, because your VPT total is partly calculated from it.
If your English result is at the Competent level, think about whether a higher score is realistic for you before the program opens.
Wait for Victoria to publish the eligibility criteria when the program opens. Do not pay anything until you have read them.
If your Student visa is ending soon, plan your next step now and do not rely on a nomination invitation. Our guide on what to do when your student visa is ending can help you plan.

Questions people ask

Is the 65-point federal test gone?

No. The Australian Government still requires at least 65 points on its own points test. The VPT is an extra ranking that Victoria uses to decide who to invite for state nomination.

Can I submit my ROI now?

Not yet. Live in Melbourne says the 2026-27 program will open soon, and eligibility criteria will be published when it opens. Watch the official site for the opening date.

Is there a minimum VPT score I need?

No. There is no fixed pass mark. Invitations go to the highest VPT totals in each round, so the cut-off depends on who else is in the pool at the time.

Talk to someone before you decide

A points table is easy to read and hard to apply to your own life. Your study plans, your visa dates and your English score all affect what makes sense for you. At OneCall Melbourne we can put you in touch with an education consultant who can go through your options. Start an enquiry at OneCall Melbourne or call 0413 599 209. You can also read more about study support on our education page.

Sources

General information only, checked against the official sources above on the day it was written. It is not migration advice: only a registered migration agent or a lawyer can give you that.

Victoria skilled visa points test 2026-27: how the new VPT ranks you