Australia has never been shy about tweaking its migration rules, but the salary changes landing in 2026 deserve your full attention. Every year, the Department of Home Affairs revisits the minimum income figures tied to employer-sponsored visas, and this round brings some of the sharpest increases skilled workers and employers have seen in a while.
The updated numbers take effect from 1 July 2026 and sit at the centre of the government’s broader migration reform push. Officials say the goal is straight for ward: keep skilled migrant wages growing in step with the rest of the Australian workforce, so sponsored roles never become a backdoor for underpaying overseas talent.
For skilled workers, this means your job offer needs to clear a higher bar before a visa nomination even gets off the ground. For employers, it means budgeting more carefully and double-checking every sponsorship plan already in motion. And if you’re weighing up whether to apply now or wait, the timing of your lodgement could genuinely change which threshold applies to you.
This guide walks you through exactly what’s changing, who it affects, and how to plan around it, whether you’re an engineer eyeing a 482 visa, an employer sponsoring your first overseas hire, or a migration adviser trying to keep clients ahead of the curve.
Put simply, a salary threshold is the minimum annual income an employer must offer a sponsored worker before the Department will even consider the nomination. Think of it as a floor, not a target. Employers can pay more, but they can never pay less and still expect approval.
Australia relies on these thresholds to stop skilled migration from undercutting local wages. Without a wage floor, some employers might be tempted to fill roles cheaply with overseas labour instead of investing in local talent or paying market rates. The threshold closes that loophole by tying visa eligibility directly to fair pay.
Here’s the headline news everyone in the migration space has been talking about since early 2026: both the Core Skills Income Threshold and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold are rising from 1 July 2026, alongside the Fair Work High Income Threshold that governs certain age exemptions.
Visa Requirement | 2025–26 Rate | 2026–27 Rate |
Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) | AUD $76,515 | AUD $79,499 |
Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) | AUD $141,210 | AUD $146,717 |
Fair Work High Income Threshold (186 TRT age exemption) | AUD $183,100 | ~AUD $190,100* |
So why the jump? A few forces are at play. Annual indexation means these thresholds move in line with Australia’s Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings, or AWOTE, which grew by roughly 3.9% over the past year. That’s not a random number pulled from thin air; it reflects real wage growth across the Australian economy. Add in cost-of-living pressures and a tight skilled labour market, and the government’s logic becomes pretty clear: if local wages are climbing, sponsored salaries need to climb too, or the whole point of the threshold falls apart.
Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
This is where the changes bite hardest. The Core Skills stream now needs to clear the new CSIT of $79,499, while the Specialist Skills stream must meet the SSIT of $146,717. Employers nominating under either stream carry the obligation to prove the salary matches both the threshold and the genuine market rate for the role.
Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)
Both the Direct Entry and Temporary Residence Transition streams are tied to the CSIT, so the same $79,499 floor applies here too. The Temporary Residence Transition stream also interacts with the Fair Work High Income Threshold for applicants seeking an age exemption above 45, which is why that figure matters just as much as CSIT for older, higher-earning applicants.
Regional Employer Sponsored Visas
Regional pathways such as the Subclass 494 typically track the same core threshold, though local labour agreements and Designated Area Migration Agreements can carry their own concessional figures. If you’re sponsoring into a regional postcode, always check the specific instrument attached to that agreement rather than assuming the standard national figure applies.
Other Employer Sponsored Programs
Labour agreements, DAMAs, and sector-specific arrangements often reference these same thresholds as a baseline, with room for negotiated variations. Expect further guidance from the Department as the Essential Skills stream of the Skills in Demand framework continues taking shape through 2026.
Overseas Skilled Workers:
If your job offer sits close to the old threshold, you’ll need to renegotiate before lodging. Occupations already facing shortages, such as nursing or software engineering, tend to see employers absorb the increase more readily than roles with plenty of local supply.
Australian Employers:
Sponsorship just became a little more expensive. Beyond the salary itself, employers should factor the increase into recruitment budgets and workforce planning for the rest of the financial year.
Current Temporary Visa Holders:
If you’re on a 482 visa working toward a 186 transition, the new thresholds could affect your timing. It may be worth discussing your salary trajectory with your employer well before you’re ready to lodge.
Future Applicants:
If you haven’t received a job offer yet, use this as a planning cue. Research realistic salary expectations for your occupation and location before you commit to a visa pathway.
Minimum Salary vs Market Salary
These are two different tests, and mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes applicants make. The threshold (CSIT or SSIT) is a fixed dollar figure set by regulation. The Annual Market Salary Rate, on the other hand, is what an equivalent Australian worker would earn in the same role, location, and seniority. Your offer has to clear both. Meeting the threshold alone won’t save an application if the market rate for your role is genuinely higher.
Employers can’t quietly underpay a sponsored worker and call it compliant. Fair Work obligations run alongside migration law, and the position itself must be genuine, meaning it needs to reflect real business needs rather than existing purely to support a visa application.
Common Salary Mistakes
Certain occupations tend to clear the new thresholds comfortably simply because market pay in those fields already sits well above CSIT. These include:
Healthcare, construction, engineering, and technology continue to sit on Australia’s skill shortage radar, which is why employers in these industries are generally more willing to offer salaries well clear of the new thresholds. If your occupation falls outside these categories, it’s worth checking current shortage lists before assuming the same flexibility applies.
What is the Australia Skilled Visa Salary Threshold in 2026?
From 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold rises to $79,499 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold rises to $146,717.
Has Australia’s minimum salary requirement increased?
Yes. Both CSIT and SSIT increased through annual indexation linked to wage growth across the Australian economy.
Which visas require the new salary threshold?
The Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) are the main visas affected, along with related regional pathways.
Does the salary threshold guarantee visa approval?
No. Clearing the threshold is one requirement among several, including the market salary rate, occupation eligibility, and a genuine position test.
Can bonuses be included in the salary?
Guaranteed annual earnings generally need to reflect base salary and any contractually fixed components. Discretionary bonuses and superannuation typically don’t count toward the threshold.
Does the salary differ for regional Australia?
Regional sponsorship pathways can carry their own arrangements under labour agreements, so it’s worth confirming the exact figure for your specific region and occupation.
What happens if my salary is below the threshold?
The nomination will be refused. Employers need to either increase the offer or reconsider whether the role qualifies under a different stream.
Will salary thresholds increase every year?
Indexation has become a regular annual feature of the skilled migration program, so further increases are likely in future years.
Can existing visa holders be affected?
Current visa holders aren’t immediately affected, but future renewals, transitions, or new nominations lodged after 1 July 2026 must meet the updated figures.
What is the difference between CSIT and SSIT?
CSIT applies to the Core Skills stream and covers most sponsored occupations, while SSIT applies to the Specialist Skills stream, which targets senior or highly specialised roles and sits at a considerably higher salary floor.
The 2026 salary threshold changes aren’t just numbers on a page. They shape who qualifies, what employers need to budget for, and how quickly a nomination moves from application to approval. Understanding CSIT, SSIT, and the Fair Work High Income Threshold before you lodge gives you a real head start over applicants who find out the hard way.
Employer compliance matters just as much as the salary figure itself. A genuine position, accurate documentation, and a wage that clears both the threshold and the market rate test will always carry more weight than a bare-minimum offer.
If you’re planning an application, start early. Review your salary offer against the July 2026 figures, confirm your occupation’s eligibility, and get your paperwork in order well before you intend to lodge. Immigration policy shifts quickly, and staying updated is the difference between a smooth approval and a costly delay.
Ready to check where your salary stands under the new 2026 rules? The Victoria Immigrations team can review your circumstances, confirm your eligibility, and guide your application from start to finish. Contact The Victoria Immigrations today for personalised migration advice before you lodge.
