The Victorian Points Test for 190 and 491 visas

What changed for 2026-27

To be nominated by Victoria, you first submit an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect. Then you submit a Registration of Interest, or ROI, to Victoria.

From the 2026-27 program, Victoria gives every ROI a score called the Victorian Points Test, or VPT. The score comes from seven factors and goes up to 950.

There's no pass mark. In each invitation round, Victoria invites the ROIs with the highest totals. So the total you need depends on who else is in the pool that round.

Victoria also charges fees from this program. An ROI costs $60 and a nomination application costs $180, before GST. You pay the nomination fee only if Victoria invites you to apply.

On 14 October 2026, Victoria had not yet said when the 2026-27 program opens. It will post the dates on its Live in Melbourne website.

Two ways to be invited

Victoria looks at every ROI in two ways in each invitation round. If your occupation is on the priority list, you can be invited either way.

• Most competitive: the highest totals across all occupations in the pool.
• Priority industry: the highest totals within each priority industry.

The seven factors and their points

Age and English are worth the most. Together, they make up more than half of the highest total.

Age gives 300 points from 20 to 29. It falls each year after that, to 16 points at 44.

Pay from your current skilled job in Victoria starts to count at $80,000 a year. It reaches 150 points at $170,000.

Your partner adds 50 points only when all three of these are true. You claimed 10 points for partner skills in your SkillSelect EOI. Your partner is included in your visa application. Your partner's occupation is on Victoria's priority list.

Why English matters so much

Superior English is worth 200 points. Proficient English is worth 100, and Competent English is worth 0.

Moving from Proficient to Superior adds 100 points. That's the same as the points for more than 8 years of work experience.

On the Home Affairs points test, Superior English gives you 20 points. In the VPT, it gives you 200, more than any factor except age.

English is also the factor you can change the fastest. You can't change your age, and work experience takes years. A higher test score can take a few months of practice.

Home Affairs checks each skill on its own, so your lowest skill decides your level. For a PTE test taken from 7 August 2025, Superior English needs listening 69, reading 70, writing 85 and speaking 88.

The priority industries for 2026-27

Victoria lists 101 priority occupations in 4 industries. If your occupation is on the list, Victoria also ranks you against other people in your industry.

The list decides your partner's points too. Their occupation must be on it.

For early childhood teachers, Victoria puts people first who have at least 1 year of work experience and Proficient or Superior English.

You still need 65 Home Affairs points

The VPT doesn't replace the Home Affairs points test. To apply for a 190 or 491 visa, you need at least 65 points on it. Victoria's nomination adds 5 points for a 190 and 15 points for a 491.

You must also be under 45 when you're invited, and have at least Competent English.

Better English helps on both tests. Proficient English gives you 10 Home Affairs points and 100 VPT points. Superior English gives you 20 and 200.

Find the skill holding you back

Your lowest skill decides your English level, so start there. A full mock test gives you a score for each skill, and you can see which one is furthest from the next level.

Then put the scores into the calculator to see what the next level adds to your total.