Victoria 491 Visa 2026: Stricter Regional Employment Rules Explained

What Changed for 2025-26?

Victoria's 491 nomination programme has introduced stricter employment requirements for onshore applicants. Here's the complete picture:

Requirement	Detail
Employer physical location	Must be physically located in regional Victoria
Virtual/proxy offices	❌ Explicitly excluded - not accepted
Regional income	All income must be earned from work in a designated regional area
Skilled employment	Required, but does not need to match your nominated occupation
Minimum work hours	No minimum hours specified
Offshore applicants	These employment rules do not apply at time of application

IMPORTANT

The key change: your employer's business must have a genuine physical presence in regional Victoria. A Melbourne CBD company with a virtual office address in Geelong will not satisfy this requirement. Victoria is verifying that real economic activity is happening in the regions.

Where Is "Regional Victoria"?

Not sure whether your workplace counts as regional? For migration purposes, designated regional areas in Victoria include everything outside metropolitan Melbourne. Key regional centres include:

Geelong - Victoria's second-largest city, just 75 km from Melbourne
Ballarat - A thriving goldfields city with growing health and education sectors
Bendigo - Strong in health, construction, and community services
Mornington Peninsula - Classified as regional for migration purposes
Shepparton, Warrnambool, Mildura - Deeper regional centres with high demand
Latrobe Valley (Traralgon, Morwell) - New energy and manufacturing hub

Some outer Melbourne suburbs are also classified as regional, including postcodes in the Pakenham and Cardinia areas. Use the Department of Home Affairs postcode finder to confirm whether your employer's location qualifies.

TIP

If you're currently working in metro Melbourne but your employer has a branch in regional Victoria, check whether they can transfer you to that office. The employer's physical location - not your home address - is what matters for VIC 491 nomination.

Who Is Affected?

Onshore Applicants in Metro Melbourne

This is the group most impacted. If you live and work in Melbourne for an employer that only has offices in metropolitan Melbourne, you are not eligible for VIC 491 nomination under the current rules - even if you have a strong points score and an occupation in a priority sector.

Your options:

Consider VIC 190 instead - Victoria's Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190) does not have this regional employer requirement
Relocate to a regional employer - Find employment with a company physically based in regional Victoria
Ask your current employer - If they have a regional branch, explore a transfer

Onshore Applicants Already in Regional Victoria

If you're already working for a regional employer with a genuine physical office, you're in a strong position. Make sure your Registration of Interest (ROI) is up-to-date with your current earnings and employment details.

Offshore Applicants

Good news: these employment requirements do not apply to offshore applicants at the time of application. However, if your 491 visa is granted, you must relocate to regional Victoria and live, work, and study there. Victoria gives priority to offshore 491 applicants in:

Health - Nurses, doctors, allied health
Social Services - Aged care, disability support
Education - Including early childhood educators

Victoria 491 at a Glance: Key Facts

Item	Detail
Programme status	Open - accepting ROIs
Total 491 places (2025-26)	700
Visa application fee	$4,910 AUD (current as of March 2026). Fees are subject to change.
Additional applicant 18+	$2,455 AUD
Additional applicant under 18	$1,230 AUD
Points required	Minimum 65 (including +15 for 491 state nomination)
Competitive points range	85-100+
Visa duration	5 years (provisional)
PR pathway	Transition to Subclass 191 after 3 years living and working in regional Australia

Not sure where you stand? Calculate your points score to see if you meet the competitive threshold.

WARNING

Victoria only has 700 places for the 491 visa this year - significantly fewer than the 2,700 allocated for the 190 pathway. Competition is fierce, and previous invitation rounds have heavily favoured onshore applicants with 85+ points.

Victoria's Priority Sectors for 491

The 491 visa covers the same priority sectors as the 190, plus three additional sectors exclusively for regional applicants:

Sector	Available for
Health	190 + 491
Social Services	190 + 491
Education (incl. Early Childhood)	190 + 491
Construction	190 + 491
New Energy	190 + 491
Digital Economy	491 only
Advanced Manufacturing	491 only
Hospitality and Tourism	491 only

If your occupation falls under Digital Economy, Advanced Manufacturing, or Hospitality and Tourism, the 491 pathway is specifically designed for you - but you must meet the regional employer requirement if applying onshore.

Want to check if your occupation is eligible? Search the ANZSCO skilled occupation list to confirm your occupation's visa eligibility.

What You Should Do Now

If You're Onshore in Melbourne

Check your employer's location - Confirm whether their office address is in a designated regional area
Update your ROI - Ensure your Registration of Interest on the Live in Melbourne portal reflects current earnings and employment details
Consider your options - If your employer is not in regional Victoria, explore 190 nomination or seek employment with a regional employer
Maximise your points - With competitive scores at 85+, every point counts. Explore our complete guide to Victoria's 190 and 491 nomination for detailed strategy tips

If You're Offshore

Submit your ROI - Focus on Health, Social Services, or Education occupations for the strongest chance of 491 selection
Prepare for relocation - Research regional Victorian cities for employment and lifestyle. Our guide to regional Victoria's top cities for 491 visa holders covers Geelong, Ballarat, and Bendigo in detail
Get your skills assessment - Ensure it has at least 12 weeks' validity remaining at the time of nomination

For Everyone

Monitor the Live in Melbourne portal - Victoria's invitation rounds are intermittent and unannounced. The last round was on 15 January 2026
Existing ROIs from 2024-25 remain valid for the 2025-26 programme, unless your personal details have changed

NOTE

State nomination requirements and occupation lists are subject to change. Please confirm current availability before applying.

How First Migration Can Help

Navigating Victoria's tightened 491 requirements takes more than a strong points score - it requires a strategy tailored to your employment situation, occupation, and location. At First Migration Service Centre, our registered migration agents understand the nuances of Victoria's state nomination programme and can help you determine whether the 491 or 190 pathway is the right fit.

Ready to take the next step? We invite you to submit a free visa assessment so we can understand your situation and provide tailored advice.