In a move designed to nudge employers toward higher-paid talent, the Department of Home Affairs raised the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) and the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) to AUD 79,423 on 1 July 2026. Any nomination for the temporary Skills-in-Demand (subclass 482) visa or the permanent Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) must now offer a guaranteed base salary at least equal to the new benchmark. The adjustment—an increase of just over four percent on last year’s AUD 76,600—was triggered by the annual wage-price indexation mechanism announced in last year’s Migration Strategy. Home Affairs says the policy helps “protect both migrants and domestic workers from wage under-cutting”.
![Salary threshold for skilled visas lifted to AUD 79,423]()
For employers seeking practical guidance on how the revised income thresholds affect specific visa categories, VisaHQ can help. The online portal aggregates the latest visa requirements, processing times and cost estimates, making it easier for HR teams to line up salaries, documentation and compliance timelines in one place.
Critics, however, argue it overlooks regional labour markets where award wages remain well below the new floor. For multinational companies, the change has two immediate effects. First, budgeted assignment packages pegged to old thresholds must be revisited, or risk nomination refusal. Second, global HR systems that auto-populate offer letters will need to be updated so that total-remuneration calculations (including superannuation) meet the new minimum. Failure to embed the figure in HR workflows could leave sponsorship teams scrambling near lodgement deadlines. Migration advisers say the higher bar particularly affects graduate-level occupations—such as software testers and marketing coordinators—where salaries often sit just above AUD 70,000. Sponsors unwilling to stretch packages may instead pivot to the subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa, which carries no wage floor but limits stays to three months. Looking ahead, the government intends to index TSMIT every July in line with national earnings data. Employers running internal mobility programs are advised to flag the date in compliance calendars and secure board approval for “top-up” allowances well in advance.
For employers seeking practical guidance on how the revised income thresholds affect specific visa categories, VisaHQ can help. The online portal aggregates the latest visa requirements, processing times and cost estimates, making it easier for HR teams to line up salaries, documentation and compliance timelines in one place.
Critics, however, argue it overlooks regional labour markets where award wages remain well below the new floor. For multinational companies, the change has two immediate effects. First, budgeted assignment packages pegged to old thresholds must be revisited, or risk nomination refusal. Second, global HR systems that auto-populate offer letters will need to be updated so that total-remuneration calculations (including superannuation) meet the new minimum. Failure to embed the figure in HR workflows could leave sponsorship teams scrambling near lodgement deadlines. Migration advisers say the higher bar particularly affects graduate-level occupations—such as software testers and marketing coordinators—where salaries often sit just above AUD 70,000. Sponsors unwilling to stretch packages may instead pivot to the subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa, which carries no wage floor but limits stays to three months. Looking ahead, the government intends to index TSMIT every July in line with national earnings data. Employers running internal mobility programs are advised to flag the date in compliance calendars and secure board approval for “top-up” allowances well in advance.
