Victorian Points Test (VPT) 2026–27: How Victoria Will Rank Your 190 & 491 ROI

Detailed Points Tables (2026–27)

Age alone is worth up to 300 points, and English up to 200 — together more than half the total. The VPT clearly favours younger applicants with strong English and higher qualifications. Here is the full point-by-point breakdown across all seven scoring factors.

Worked Examples: What Real Profiles Score

Three illustrative candidate profiles show how quickly age, English competency, and Victorian employment affect a VPT total. (These are illustrative models, not real individual client files).

• Priya scores highest (660) and is also in the Healthcare priority industry, which means she is considered in two pools at once.
• Rahul has more experience and a higher degree, yet trails Priya by 109 points — mostly because of age. Moving from Proficient to Superior English would lift him to 651, almost closing the gap.
• Aman has a lower total (507), but Electrician (General) sits in the Construction Trades subgroup. He only needs to outrank other construction tradespeople, not nurses or IT professionals.

2026–27 Priority Industries and Occupations

Victoria has named four priority industries for 2026–27: Healthcare, Social Assistance, Education and Construction. If your occupation is listed below, you are ranked against others in that industry or subgroup as well as in the overall pool.

Fees for the 2026–27 Program

Victoria charges AUD 66 to lodge an ROI and AUD 198 for a nomination application (both including GST). Offshore applicants pay the GST-free amount.

• GST (10%) applies only if you are in Australia at the time of payment. Applicants paying from India pay AUD 60 and AUD 180.
• The ROI fee is charged once per program year. If you withdraw and resubmit within the same year, you are not charged again.
• The nomination fee is charged each time you submit a nomination application, and only after you are invited.
• An ROI is valid for one program year only (1 July to 30 June). It may close earlier if Victoria announces a closing date.
• Payment cards: Only Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Your bank may add foreign-currency charges. The charge shows on statements as 'VIC Migration'.
• Refunds are rare: Fees are generally non-refundable. You will not get your money back if your ROI is not invited, your nomination is refused, you withdraw, or you decline an invitation or nomination. Wrong information, unverifiable identity, or using multiple accounts for one applicant also forfeit the fee. Refunds are considered only for administrative or technical errors, and go back to the card used to pay.

How to Improve Your VPT Score: 7 Practical Steps

The fastest wins come from English and timing — the two factors most applicants can still change.

• 1. Retake your English test: Moving from Proficient to Superior adds 100 VPT points, worth more than a PhD over a bachelor's degree. From Competent to Proficient is another 100 points.
• 2. Lodge before your next birthday: After 30, each year costs about 14–16 points; after 40, it costs 30 points. Have your skills assessment, English result and EOI ready so you can lodge on the first day ROIs open.
• 3. Count your experience correctly: Only experience in your nominated occupation counts. Make sure your skills assessment and reference letters support every year you claim.
• 4. Review your partner's profile: If your partner works in a Victorian priority occupation and can claim 10 SkillSelect partner points, that adds 50 VPT points.
• 5. Pick the right occupation code: Where your duties genuinely fit more than one ANZSCO code, a Skill level 1 occupation adds 50 points, and a priority-list occupation adds a second pathway to invitation.
• 6. Keep your EOI and ROI consistent: Victoria builds your VPT total from both. Mismatched details can lower your score or lead to refusal, and the fee is not refunded.
• 7. Already in Victoria? Document your salary: Skilled earnings from AUD 80,000 upward add up to 150 points. Use Victoria's Annual Earnings Estimation guide to calculate your figure accurately.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Common questions about Victoria's Points Test and nomination process:

• What is the minimum VPT score for an invitation? There is none. Invitations go to the highest totals in each round, so the effective cut-off changes with the pool.
• Do I still need 65 points in SkillSelect? Yes. The 65-point federal test decides visa eligibility. The VPT only ranks you for Victorian nomination.
• Does the VPT apply to both 190 and 491? Yes. Victoria uses the VPT to rank ROIs for both the Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) visas.
• Can Victoria tell me if my score is good enough? No. Victoria has said it cannot share how your score compares with others or your likelihood of an invitation.
• When does the 2026–27 program open? Victoria has said it will open soon. Eligibility criteria will be published at that time.
• I am applying from India. Do I pay GST? No. GST applies only if you are in Australia when you pay. Offshore applicants pay AUD 60 for the ROI and AUD 180 for a nomination application.
• If I am not invited, do I get my ROI fee back? No. Fees are not refunded just because an ROI is not invited.

Get Your VPT Score Checked Before You Pay

With no pass mark and non-refundable fees, a Victorian ROI is a competitive bet — so it pays to know your number first. MovesEdu Immigration helps applicants calculate their VPT and SkillSelect scores, find the right occupation code, and plan English retakes and lodgement timing for the 2026–27 round.