How English scores in the Victorian Points Test (VPT)
The Victorian Points Test page says Victoria ranks all Registrations of Interest (ROIs) for both the 190 and the 491 on seven weighted factors and invites the highest totals in each round. There is no pass mark. The page says the VPT prioritises younger, highly qualified applicants with higher levels of English language. You still need 65 points on the Home Affairs test to be eligible for the visa.
There are two ways to be invited: the most competitive ROIs across all eligible occupations, and the highest VPT totals within each priority industry. The 2026-27 priority industries listed on the page are healthcare, social assistance, education and construction.
| VPT factor | Highest points on the page | English scale |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 300 (aged 20 to 29) | - |
| English language | 200 (Superior) | Competent 0, Proficient 100, Superior 200 |
| Annual earnings from skilled employment in Victoria | 150 (AUD170,000 and over) | - |
| Years of experience in nominated occupation | 100 (more than 8 years) | - |
| Educational qualification | 100 (PhD) | - |
| Occupation skill level | 50 (skill level 1) | - |
| Partner's skill | 50 (priority industry occupation, 10 partner points claimed) | - |
What Proficient and Superior mean in IELTS and PTE for Victoria
Home Affairs sets each level per skill, not as one overall score, and a state can only use these levels. Sources: Competent, Proficient and Superior English pages. On the 190 and 491 points tests Competent earns 0 points, Proficient 10 and Superior 20. A citizen holding a valid passport from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States meets Competent English without a test, but needs a test score to claim Proficient or Superior.
Read the table with the VPT in mind: IELTS 7 in every skill moves you from 0 to 100 VPT points and earns 10 Home Affairs points, while one band of 6.5 keeps you at Competent. In PTE, speaking (76 for Proficient) and writing (69) are usually the hard sections. Victorian nomination also adds 5 points on the 190 points table or 15 on the 491 points table. The Victorian pages we could read set no English minimum above Home Affairs' Competent level.
| Test (listening / reading / writing / speaking) | Competent | Proficient | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic or General Training | 6 / 6 / 6 / 6 | 7 / 7 / 7 / 7 | 8 / 8 / 8 / 8 |
| PTE Academic | 47 / 48 / 51 / 54 | 58 / 59 / 69 / 76 | 69 / 70 / 85 / 88 |
| TOEFL iBT | 16 / 16 / 19 / 19 | 22 / 22 / 26 / 24 | 26 / 27 / 30 / 28 |
| OET | 290 / 310 / 290 / 330 | 350 / 360 / 380 / 360 | 390 / 400 / 420 / 400 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | 163 / 163 / 170 / 179 | 175 / 179 / 193 / 194 | 186 / 190 / 210 / 208 |
| LanguageCert Academic | 57 / 60 / 64 / 70 | 67 / 71 / 78 / 82 | 80 / 83 / 89 / 89 |
| CELPIP General | 7 / 7 / 7 / 7 | 9 / 8 / 10 / 8 | 10 / 10 / 12 / 10 |
| Michigan English Test (MET) | 56 / 55 / 57 / 48 | 61 / 63 / 74 / 59 | Not listed |
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Victoria programme status and fees (read 14 October 2026)
Victoria's 2025-26 programme closed to new ROIs at 4pm AEST on 28 April 2026 (closure notice). Victoria was allocated 3,400 places that year, 2,700 for the 190 and 700 for the 491 (update of 13 April 2026).
A news update published 13 October 2026 introduced fees from 2026-27: AUD60 to submit an ROI and AUD180 for a 190 or 491 nomination application if invited, plus 10% GST if you are in Australia when you pay (fees page). ROIs from a previous year must be resubmitted when the programme opens, and it said information about the 2026-27 opening will be published when available.
State programmes change between and during programme years, often at short notice. Check the Live in Melbourne Victorian Points Test page before you book a test or lodge an Expression of Interest. This guide restates official pages read on 14 October 2026; it is not migration advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Victoria 491 English requirement?+
Competent English at minimum (IELTS 6 in each skill). Victoria ranks 491 and 190 ROIs with the Victorian Points Test, where Proficient English adds 100 points and Superior adds 200.
How many VPT points does IELTS 7 give?+
IELTS 7 in each of the four skills is Proficient English, worth 100 points in the Victorian Points Test. IELTS 8 in each skill (Superior) is worth 200.
Is PTE accepted for Victorian nomination?+
Yes. Victoria uses the Home Affairs levels. Proficient is PTE Academic 58 / 59 / 69 / 76 and Superior 69 / 70 / 85 / 88 (listening / reading / writing / speaking) for tests from 7 August 2025.
Is Victoria's 2026-27 programme open?+
On 14 October 2026 Victoria had published 2026-27 fees and VPT weightings and said opening details would be published when available. The 2025-26 programme closed to new ROIs on 28 April 2026.
Does Victoria charge a fee for an ROI?+
From 2026-27, yes: AUD60 for an ROI (AUD66 with GST) and AUD180 for a nomination application (AUD198 with GST), charged only if you are invited and apply.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS for the 189, 190 and 491 visas
- PTE to IELTS score converter
- IELTS for Australia: scores by university and visa
- IELTS for NSW nomination
- PTE vs IELTS for Australia PR
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Verified against the linked official sources on 14 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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