LifeinAus
Migration agents serving Melbourne
Reviewed by a registered migration agent ·
MARN 1795282
Updated
Melbourne is a Category 1 “major city” for migration purposes, so the regional 491 and 494 visas can’t be used to live or work there. For Melbourne residents, the main skilled routes are usually the 189, Victorian nomination for the 190, or employer sponsorship through the 482 and 186. Victorian nomination runs through Live in Melbourne using a Registration of Interest, and the 2026–27 program had not opened as at 5 October 2026.
Melbourne at a glance · checked 5 October 2026
- State nomination
- Victoria’s Skilled Visa Nomination Program (Live in Melbourne)
- 2026–27 status
- 2026–27 program not yet published at 5 October 2026
- Regional for visas?
- No — Category 1 (major city)
- DAMA
- None covering Melbourne (regional VIC has two)
- Our service
- Remote by phone and video · based in Sydney, serving all of Australia
State nomination in Victoria
Victoria nominates skilled professionals living in Victoria or overseas for the 190 (permanent, live and work anywhere in Victoria) and the 491 (five-year provisional, live and work in regional Victoria). There are two layers: first you lodge or update an Expression of Interest in the Australian Government’s SkillSelect, then you use your EOI number to submit a Registration of Interest (ROI) on the Live in Melbourne portal. Only people invited from the ROI pool can lodge a nomination application.
For 2025–26, Home Affairs allocated Victoria 3,400 places: 2,700 for the 190 and 700 for the 491. Victoria closed that program to new ROIs on 28 April 2026 and said information on 2026–27 would be published when available. Victoria also warns that if you withdraw an existing ROI, you can’t submit a new one until the 2026–27 program opens.
Status at 5 October 2026: no 2026–27 Victorian program or allocation had been published. Check Live in Melbourne before planning around Victorian nomination.
Official program page: Victoria’s Skilled Visa Nomination Program (Live in Melbourne). Nomination is decided by the state or territory, and meeting the criteria does not guarantee an invitation or a visa.
Is Melbourne “regional” for visa purposes?
Category 1 — Major Cities (no regional incentives). Home Affairs sorts every Australian postcode into three categories. Category 2 and 3 areas are “designated regional areas”, where the 491 and 494 visas apply and which lead to the 191 permanent visa.
No. Melbourne is in Category 1 with Sydney and Brisbane. Geelong is Category 2 (“cities and major regional centres”), and the rest of regional Victoria — including Ballarat, Bendigo and Shepparton — is Category 3.
Some outer postcodes of greater Melbourne also fall in Category 3 on the Home Affairs list, for example parts of the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Ranges. Because it is decided by postcode, check yours before assuming you are in or out.
Employer sponsorship in Melbourne
Melbourne businesses typically sponsor through the 482 Skills in Demand visa and, for permanent roles, the 186. The 494 regional employer visa covers jobs in Geelong and regional Victoria, not in metropolitan Melbourne. Our employer guides explain costs and obligations; we advise and lodge, but we don’t recruit.
Is there a DAMA in Melbourne?
No DAMA covers metropolitan Melbourne. Victoria’s two DAMAs on the Home Affairs list are regional: Goulburn Valley, and the Great South Coast (represented by Warrnambool City Council). Employers located in those regions may be able to sponsor in occupations, or with concessions, that the standard programs don’t offer.
How we work with clients in Melbourne
We work with Melbourne clients remotely: an initial call by phone or video, documents shared securely online and lodgement through ImmiAccount. Our agent’s registration applies Australia-wide, so being based in Sydney makes no difference to the service. Many Melbourne enquiries are about timing — whether to wait for Victorian nomination, pursue a 189, or move to an employer-sponsored route — and that is exactly what a first consultation is for.
Registered migration agents are regulated federally, so our registration (MARN 1795282) covers advice and lodgement in Melbourne and anywhere else in Australia. Every case is assessed on its own facts; we can’t promise an invitation, nomination or visa outcome.
Visas most relevant in Melbourne
- Skilled Nominated visa (190) — Victorian nomination, permanent
- Skilled Independent visa (189) — Points-tested, independent
- Skilled Work Regional visa (491) — Only if you live in regional Victoria
- Skills in Demand visa (482) — Employer-sponsored, temporary
- Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Employer-sponsored, permanent
- Temporary Graduate visa (485) — Post-study work for recent graduates
Also see partner visas, student visas and our free tools.
Melbourne migration FAQs
Is Victoria’s 2026–27 skilled nomination program open?
Not as at 5 October 2026. Victoria closed its 2025–26 program to new Registrations of Interest on 28 April 2026 and said 2026–27 information would be published when available. Check the Live in Melbourne website for the current position.
Can I hold a Victorian 491 and live in Melbourne?
No. A 491 holder must live, work and study in a designated regional area, and Melbourne is Category 1. Geelong and regional Victoria qualify, as do some outer postcodes on the Home Affairs list, so check the exact postcode.
What is the difference between an EOI and an ROI in Victoria?
The Expression of Interest (EOI) is lodged with the Australian Government in SkillSelect. The Registration of Interest (ROI) is Victoria’s own registration on the Live in Melbourne portal, made using your EOI number. You need both to be considered for Victorian nomination.
Is there a DAMA for Melbourne?
No. Victoria’s DAMAs cover the Goulburn Valley and the Great South Coast regions. Melbourne employers use the standard 482 and 186 programs, or another labour agreement where one applies.
Sources
Last checked: . Program settings change during the year, so confirm the current position on the official pages below before acting.
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