Victoria Unexpectedly Reopens 2025–26 Skilled Migration Program｜380 Interim Places Released – Policy and Risk Breakdown
On 2 October, the Victorian Government suddenly announced the reopening of the 2025–26 Skilled Migration Program (state nomination), effective immediately.
This reopening does not represent the full allocation of places but an “interim allocation” phase — intended to kick-start processing while waiting for the official quota from the Commonwealth.
Source: Internet
Only 380 Interim Places – Intense Short-Term Competition
According to the official announcement, Victoria has received just 200 places for the subclass 190 visa and 180 places for the subclass 491 visa.
These are transitional allocations, and all Australian states have currently received similar interim quotas.
Since Victoria closed its program early in April 2025, this reopening signals the formal return of state nomination invitations — though the invitation pace is expected to remain conservative.
It’s anticipated that once Victoria receives its full quota in the coming weeks, the state government will release a refined policy update and revised occupation priorities.
In the meantime, the 380 places may be used for a small-scale “test round” of invitations, likely prioritising:
- High-scoring EOIs (85+ points)
- STEM-related occupations, and
- Applicants in full-time, high-salary employment.
ROI Can Generally Be Reused – But Check for Updated Information
If you submitted a Registration of Interest (ROI) during the 2024–25 program year but weren’t invited — and your details (occupation, employer, salary, etc.) have not changed — you can continue using your existing ROI.
However, if your circumstances have changed, you should withdraw and resubmit a new ROI to ensure your latest information is assessed.
Victoria still allows only one active ROI per applicant (whether for subclass 190 or 491). Duplicate submissions will be deemed invalid.
At this stage, the policy settings and occupation list remain unchanged from the previous program year, but the government has already indicated that once the full quota is confirmed, it may adjust priority occupations and invitation rules.
In short, this period is transitional — submitting early can help secure your processing position, but you’ll still need to closely monitor further updates.
491 Graduate Regional Concession Likely Removed – Signs of Tightening Policy
In the 2024–25 program, Victoria allowed recent graduates to apply for 491 nomination even if living or working in non-regional areas (e.g. Melbourne).
However, this concession has now been removed from the latest program materials, suggesting that the exemption may no longer apply.
If confirmed, this means future 491 applicants will need to live and work in designated regional areas to qualify — a clear sign of policy tightening.
The Hemwood team recommends that Victorian graduates intending to apply should submit their ROI as soon as possible to lock in eligibility under the previous settings.
Overall, this reopening appears to be a trial phase, allowing the government to test processing systems and gauge demand before expanding invitation rounds and refining occupational priorities once full allocations are released.
Victoria’s reopening signals the official start of the 2025–26 skilled migration invitation cycle, but with limited places and strong competition.
If you have a high EOI score, a STEM or skilled occupation, or local full-time work experience, it’s advisable to submit your ROI immediately.
Applicants with lower scores or recent graduate status should also monitor developments in New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania, and prepare alternative pathways early to maximise success under the new program year.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at Riverwood Migration (Email: [email protected]), or book a consultation. We are committed to providing transparent and professional migration services to help you secure your visa and achieve your goal of moving to Australia.
