Victoria (VIC) State Sponsored Migration Visa

BREAKING:
Victoria’s Migration will be conducting an invitation round today.

Congratulations to those who are invited to apply for a visa.

If you do not receive any further communications from us today about your matter, this means you have not been invited today but remain eligible.
Your ROI will be considered in future selection rounds and no action is required if all the information in both their EOI and ROI remain correct.

Victorian State Sponsored Migration Nomination visas provide a great way to immigrate to Australia. This article deals with General Skills points tested immigration visa options. The options available to you include permanent and temporary Visa options. main Visa subclasses are:

1. Visa 190 - Skilled - Nominated (Permanent)
2. Visa 491 - Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)

Visa 489 - Skilled — Regional (Provisional) - This visa is closed to new applications

Each state and territory government have their own processes for nomination in addition to the criterion under the Migration Act, the process is complicated, and if you do not approach it the correct way the first time, the consequences may be devastating and include possible entry/visa bars to Australia. We recommend that you book an appointment for an assessment.

Victorian 2023-24 State Sponsored Migration Visa Nominated Program is now open.
To check your eligibility, please fill out the assessment form now.

On this page;

• The VIC process
• Key highlights
• Updating and withdrawing your existing ROI
• VIC State Selection Criteria
• VIC Prioritised industry sectors
• Annual earnings estimation
• Multiple ROIs
• The Participating States for Nominations for Visas
• Australia's migration system is complex — Minister [22 Feb 2023]
• Victoria State Specific - Skilled 190 Checklist

The VIC process:

Key highlights:

• The program is similar to last financial year with some minor changes.
• Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) – there are 2,700 places, with the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491) having 600 places
• For 2023-24, the Victorian government can consider both onshore and offshore applicants. This is great news especially for people who are currently not in Australia.
• In response to the shortage of skills, this year, Victoria nomination includes all skilled occupations listed under the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA).
• Additionally, the Registration of Interest (ROI) process is still in place.
• If you have previously submitted a Registration of Interest (ROI) for 190 visa in the 2022-23 program year, you don’t need to submit a new ROI for the 2023-24 program unless your circumstances change, such as your salary and employment.
• If you have previously submitted a Registration of Interest (ROI) for 491 visa in the 2022-23 program year, you need to submit a new ROI for the 2023-24 program.
• ROI will be selected focusing on age, English language level, years of experience in your nominated occupation, education and occupation skill level, partner’s skill (if applicable), and salary – onshore candidates only.
• Hospitality and tourism will be prioritised for 491 only.

Updating and withdrawing your existing ROI

You cannot update a ROI once it has been submitted.

VIC State Selection Criteria:

• age,
• English language level,
• years of experience in your nominated occupation,
• education and occupation skill level,
• partner’s skill (if applicable),
• salary – onshore candidates only.

VIC Prioritised industry sectors:

• Health
• Social services
• Information Communication Technology (ICT)
• Early childhood, primary, secondary, and special education teachers
• Advanced manufacturing
• Infrastructure
• Renewable energy
• Hospitality and tourism – for the 491 visa

Annual earnings estimation

During the completion of your ROI, you may be asked to provide an estimate of your annual earnings.

Your earnings are one of many factors used to select ROIs for invitation. There are no minimum earnings required to be eligible for Victorian visa nomination. You will need to refer to the ‘Annual earnings estimation guide’ for information on how to calculate this figure.

Multiple ROIs

You can only have 1 active ROI submitted at any time.

You cannot submit a separate ROI for each subclass. If you wish to change the subclass, or anything else on your ROI, you must withdraw the existing ROI and submit a new ROI.

— Australia's migration system is complex — Minister [22 Feb 2023]

Each state and territory government have their own processes for nomination in addition to the criterian under the Migration Act, the process is complicated and if you do not approach it the correct way the first time, the consequences may be devastating and include possible entry/visa bars to Australia. We recommend that you book an appointment for an assessment.

Notes

Points - You must have at least 65 points on the Australian Government’s points test, including the 5 points for state and territory nomination.

Age – You must be under 45 years of age at the time of nomination.

VIC Criterion:

The state will not select from onshore applicants living in Australian states and territories other than Victoria.

There is no guarantee that you will be selected.

If you are living in Victoria and claiming annual earnings in your ROI:

• You must support all your claims of earnings with documents.
• You will be required to provide a current employment contract, your most recent four weeks of pay slips, an extract from your superannuation account showing the most recent contribution from your employer, and a position description that describes your role.
• If you are an independent contractor, you must provide tax invoices, relevant contracts or service agreements, your most recent notice of assessment, and your most recent tax return.
• During our assessment of your nomination application, the state may require additional employment documents. If so, they will ask for this during our assessment.
• Any earnings you are claiming must be from skilled employment in Victoria. Skilled employment includes any role at skill levels 1, 2 or 3 in the relevant ANZSCO classification.

Skills Assessment

Your nominated occupation must be on the eligible skilled occupation list for this visa.

• Your nominated occupation in your Skills Assessment must match your Expression of Interest (EOI) with the Department of Home Affairs.
• When you submit your nomination application, Victoria require that your Skills Assessment have at least 12 weeks validity remaining. This ensures Victoria have enough time to assess your nomination application. Victoria cannot nominate you if your Skills Assessment has expired.

Annual earnings

 What are your annual earnings?

• Your estimated annual earnings should reflect the total compensation received as part of your employment, excluding superannuation and before-income tax deductions. This number should not include bonuses, allowances, overtime or mandatory employer superannuation contributions.
• In most cases you should use your base salary as your estimated annual earnings. Take care not to over-estimate
• If you earn penalties, they can be included. You should not provide an hourly rate in this case.
• You should use the earnings estimate provided by this calculator in your Registration of Interest.
• All annual earnings estimates will be assessed during the nomination application. The nomination application will be refused if you provide a higher estimate than your actual earnings.

Estimated annual earnings includes:

• wages,
• payments while on leave,
• penalties for weekends, public holidays, or work outside regular hours,
• commissions (only accepted for sales roles), and
• amounts that are salary sacrificed (such as a novated lease for a car or a meals and entertainment arrangement).

Estimated annual earnings excludes:

• mandatory employer superannuation contributions,
• earnings from unskilled employment, such as: administrative roles, retail roles, machine operators, drivers, labourers, cleaners, social media advertising and non-formal employment (such as selling second hand or handmade goods, food and grocery delivery),
• allowances (such as allowances for meals, car, uniform, travel),
• bonuses (such as sign-on bonuses and lump sum performance bonuses for non-sales roles),
• incentive payments (such as equity or share options),
• overtime,
• scholarships,
• reimbursements,
• non-monetary benefits,
• government benefits or payments,
• investment returns (both capital gains and dividend payments),
• gifts,
• tips or gratuities,
• gambling winnings, and
• other types at our discretion.

Skilled employment includes any role that is at skill levels 1,2 or 3 in the relevant ANZSCO classification external link.

• Skilled employment does not have to be in your nominated occupation, but your earnings must be from skilled employment.
• For example, if your nominated occupation is Mechanical Engineer (ANZSCO skill level 1), you cannot include earnings from employment if you worked as a Truck Driver (ANZSCO skill level 4), but you could include earnings if you worked as a Mechanical Engineering Technician (ANZSCO skill level 2).

1-9; Please refer to our General Checklist here

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist/

9 to 38 General Skill Migration Checklist – Australia Migration Visa

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-skill-migration-checklist/

--- Specific Visa check list – TBA