Specialist immigration firm Roam Migration Law warns that Australia’s biggest rewrite of skilled-visa pricing in a decade is now live. As outlined in its 8 July Mondaq briefing, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) for employer-sponsored nominations jumped 3.8 % to AUD 79,423, while the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) rose to AUD 146,576. The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) for regional visas mirrors the CSIT figure. Simultaneously, Visa Application Charges for the flagship Skills-in-Demand (subclass 482) visa climbed about 25 %: a primary application now costs AUD 4,015 versus AUD 3,210 last year. ENS (subclass 186) and Regional 494 visas saw similar percentage increases, adding roughly AUD 1,200 per applicant. The government says the steeper uplift brings fees closer to the true cost of processing and discourages low-salary sponsorships.
![Employers face new salary floors and 25 % work-visa fee hike under 1 July overhaul]()
For organisations navigating this fast-moving landscape, VisaHQ’s dedicated Australia hub offers a streamlined way to calculate new fees, assemble documents and submit applications online, helping HR teams stay ahead of rising thresholds and renewal deadlines.
For HR and mobility managers, the changes demand immediate budget adjustments. An IT professional on AUD 78,000 – previously compliant – will now miss the new CSIT, forcing either a salary uplift or a different visa strategy. Multi-year assignment costs also rise because the VAC is payable again at each nomination renewal. Companies with pending applications prepared before 1 July but not yet lodged are scrambling: the fee and threshold in effect on the submission date applies, so advisers recommend fast-tracking or revisiting remuneration packages. Organisations with bulk intakes – mining, healthcare and engineering firms in particular – are modelling the additional spend across FY 2026-27 talent pipelines. Looking ahead, Home Affairs says it will review the income thresholds annually, indexed to Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE). Employers should therefore expect incremental jumps every July, making proactive salary reviews and early visa renewals the new normal for maintaining compliance and workforce continuity.
For organisations navigating this fast-moving landscape, VisaHQ’s dedicated Australia hub offers a streamlined way to calculate new fees, assemble documents and submit applications online, helping HR teams stay ahead of rising thresholds and renewal deadlines.
For HR and mobility managers, the changes demand immediate budget adjustments. An IT professional on AUD 78,000 – previously compliant – will now miss the new CSIT, forcing either a salary uplift or a different visa strategy. Multi-year assignment costs also rise because the VAC is payable again at each nomination renewal. Companies with pending applications prepared before 1 July but not yet lodged are scrambling: the fee and threshold in effect on the submission date applies, so advisers recommend fast-tracking or revisiting remuneration packages. Organisations with bulk intakes – mining, healthcare and engineering firms in particular – are modelling the additional spend across FY 2026-27 talent pipelines. Looking ahead, Home Affairs says it will review the income thresholds annually, indexed to Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE). Employers should therefore expect incremental jumps every July, making proactive salary reviews and early visa renewals the new normal for maintaining compliance and workforce continuity.
