New Income Thresholds for Skilled Visas

Starting from 1 July 2026, the income thresholds for skilled visas such as 482, 186, or 492 will be raised.

The income thresholds are adjusted every year to ensure that wages for skilled migrants reflect the same growth as those of Australian workers, thereby preventing the exploitation of skilled migration to undermine local labor rates.

Effective 1 July 2026, the changes to indexation will be as follows:

• The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) will rise from AUD76,515 to AUD $79,423, affecting nomination applications for the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186).
• The Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) will increase from AUD141,210 to AUD $146,576, impacting nomination applications for the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).
• The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), applicable for the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (subclass 187), will also see an increase from AUD76,515 to AUD $79,423, in line with the CSIT and pending the approval of relevant legislation.

From 1 July 2026, any new nomination applications must comply with the updated income threshold or the annual market salary rate, whichever is greater. This modification will not affect current visa holders or nominations submitted prior to 1 July 2026.