If you are an employer sponsoring skilled workers or a professional planning to apply for an Australian visa, the upcoming salary threshold changes will affect you directly.
Australia is set to increase the minimum salary requirements for employer-sponsored visas. These changes are confirmed and taken based on the November 2025 AWOTE figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and will take effect from 1 July 2026.
What’s Changing?
The updated salary thresholds for employer-sponsored visas from 1 July 2026 are:
- Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT): $79,499 (up from $76,515)
- Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT): $146,717 (up from $141,210)
These thresholds will mainly apply to:
- Subclass 482 – Core & Specialist streams
- Subclass 186 – Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) & Direct Entry
- Labour Agreement streams under Subclass 482 and 186 (unless specified otherwise)
However, note that Subclass 494 and Subclass 187 TRT visas are not automatically updated because they are tied to TSMIT and require separate legislative changes.
Critical Details for Sponsoring Skilled Workers
Meet deadlines: Nominations lodged before 1 July 2026 will be assessed against current thresholds. Applications lodged after this date must meet the updated CSIT/SSIT.
Plan salaries strategically: Base salary alone counts toward thresholds; superannuation, bonuses, and other benefits cannot be included.
Budget effectively: Wage increases will impact sponsorship costs, recruitment strategy, and workforce planning.
Prepare documentation early: Confirming position details, salary, and supporting documents ahead of time reduces delays and risk.
Practical Steps for Employers
- If you want to lodge nominations under the current salary thresholds, the minimum 4-week advertising period must be completed by this time.
- Applications filed before this date will be evaluated based on the present CSIT and SSIT, avoiding the higher thresholds that will be implemented on July 1, 2026.
- You can also seek expert advice from the best migration agent in Australia to ensure your nominations meet the updated salary thresholds
So, if you’re preparing employer-sponsored visa applications and these changes are causing confusion, get expert guidance from Growmore Immigration to ensure all salary thresholds are met accurately.
Email: info@growmore.one | WhatsApp: +61 434 202 021 | Phone: +61 3 8764 3334