Victoria 2026–27 nomination: ROI fees, VPT points and priority occupations explained

Victoria’s 13 October 2026 announcement changes two practical parts of skilled nomination planning: ROI and nomination services will no longer be free in the 2026–27 program, and the Government has published detailed Victorian Points Test (VPT) weights. Applicants can now understand the relative contribution of age, English, qualifications and other factors rather than treating a high federal EOI score as a complete explanation of Victorian competitiveness.

At the date checked, the official website still says the 2026–27 program will open soon, with eligibility criteria and further details to follow at opening. Preparing evidence and a budget is appropriate; treating this announcement as an open application window or an actual invitation round is not.

1. Two separate charges replace the previous free services

Ten per cent GST applies if the applicant is in Australia when payment is made. Citizenship and the country issuing the payment card are not the stated test. If both payments are made while the applicant is in Australia, one ROI plus one nomination application totals AUD 264. If both are made offshore, the total excluding GST is AUD 240. If location changes between stages, each payment must be assessed separately. Federal visa charges, skills assessments, English tests and professional fees are additional.

The ROI charge is once per program year: withdrawing and resubmitting within the same year does not attract another ROI fee. A new nomination application attracts a new nomination fee each time it is submitted. An ROI is valid only for its program year. An applicant with an earlier-year ROI who wants consideration in 2026–27 must submit a fresh ROI when the program opens; an old registration is not an automatic rollover.

Fees are generally non-refundable. No invitation, refusal, withdrawal or a change of mind does not by itself justify a refund. Administrative or technical errors, or inability to provide the service, may qualify under the official refund policy. Visa and Mastercard are accepted, with possible additional bank or foreign-currency charges. Check eligibility and evidence before payment rather than assuming an unsuccessful application can be refunded.

2. Federal EOI points and Victorian VPT points do different jobs

A SkillSelect EOI expresses interest in a federal skilled visa. A Victorian ROI expresses interest in Victorian nomination. VPT ranks ROIs using information in the EOI and ROI; it is a separate state-level ranking scale. The official page identifies the federal minimum of 65 points, while VPT has no fixed pass mark. An EOI score of 85 cannot be compared directly with a VPT total of 600. Meeting the federal minimum does not remove other visa or nomination requirements and does not guarantee Victorian selection.

3. The seven factors and the published scoring bands

VPT considers age, English, experience in the nominated occupation, education, occupation skill level, partner skills, and eligible current skilled employment earnings in Victoria. The following tables reflect the official bands checked on 13 October. They describe ranking, not new federal visa eligibility requirements or a forecast of invitation outcomes.

Updated experience bands still need boundary checks

Rechecked on 14 October 2026: Victoria has replaced yesterday's overlapping bands with 0, 1, 2–3, 4–5, 6–7 and more than 8 years. This article and the Victorian guide now use the updated table. Exactly 8 years remains unlisted; fractional-year and other boundary claims still need checking against Victoria's guidance and the application system, rather than automatically choosing the higher score.

Partner skills: all three requirements must be satisfied

The 50-point VPT partner contribution requires all of the following: 10 Partner Skills points claimed in the federal EOI; the partner will be included in the state-nominated visa application; and the partner’s occupation is a current Victorian priority-industry occupation. Single applicants, applicants with an Australian partner, and those not meeting these conditions receive zero under this VPT factor. This does not abolish the separate federal single-applicant or partner points rules.

Earnings points are specific to current skilled work in Victoria

Use Victoria’s Annual Earnings Estimation guide to establish eligible earnings. Overseas income, interstate earnings or income from work that does not qualify should not simply be inserted into this table. The first published band starts at AUD 80,000, but this is not proof of a universal AUD 80,000 nomination eligibility threshold. Nor should a score for an unlisted lower-income band be invented. Recheck the full new-year criteria at program opening.

Use the weights to prioritise preparation, not predict invitations

For the same applicant with other factors unchanged, moving from Proficient to Superior English adds 100 VPT points under the published table. Age 30 contributes 286 points, while age 35 contributes 210—a difference of 76. These comparisons can inform preparation, but reveal neither competitors’ scores nor the number of places available. They cannot establish a guaranteed cut-off, invitation probability or waiting time.

4. Overall competitiveness and priority-industry selection

Victoria describes two selection methods. The most-competitive method considers the highest VPT totals across eligible occupations in the pool. Priority-industry selection considers the highest VPT totals within specified industries or industry subgroups. A priority occupation is not an automatic invitation, and a non-priority occupation is not automatically excluded.

For Early Childhood Education, the official page specifically prioritises ROIs with one or more years of relevant experience and Proficient or Superior English. This is an additional statement for that subgroup, not a universal eligibility requirement for all teachers or all sectors. The examples above do not replace the complete official priority occupation tables or federal visa requirements.

5. A practical preparation checklist

1. Check federal eligibility and the appropriate 190 or 491 pathway, then recheck full Victorian criteria when 2026–27 opens.
2. Reconcile EOI, skills assessment, English, experience, qualifications, partner and Victorian earnings evidence. Do not inflate claims to improve ranking.
3. Budget separately for ROI, nomination, GST based on location at each payment, and federal visa and other costs.
4. Earlier-year ROI holders should prepare for a fresh submission at opening. Paying or entering the pool is not a basis to assume an invitation, resign or relocate.

Frequently asked questions

Is Victoria’s 2026–27 program already open?

Not according to the website checked on 13 October. It still says opening is coming soon, with full criteria and further details at opening. Publication of fees and weights is not confirmation of opening or invitations.

Does the ROI fee secure an invitation?

No. It pays for registration services, not an outcome. Ranking, priority occupations and limited places still govern selection, and no invitation generally does not create a refund entitlement.

Do single applicants receive VPT partner points?

No. The official VPT table assigns zero for this factor to single applicants, those with an Australian partner and those not meeting all three partner conditions. Federal EOI single-applicant points are a separate matter.

Can a non-priority occupation still be considered?

The official selection description allows ROIs from all eligible occupations and an overall most-competitive selection method. Applicants must still wait for opening and meet all applicable federal and Victorian criteria. Priority is not a guarantee, and non-priority is not automatic ineligibility.

To discuss preparation priorities, contact XIVisa on WeChat xivisa1 with your age, nominated occupation and code, English level, assessment status, experience, current location and partner background. If claiming earnings, describe your Victorian skilled employment. Do not post sensitive documents publicly. This is general information, not an individual eligibility conclusion or a promise of nomination or a visa.