There are multiple minimum salary thresholds set by the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) for employers who want to sponsor employees.

All three main salary thresholds: the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT), Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) and Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT), have recently increased.

What is the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)?

The CSIT is the minimum annual salary that employers must pay a sponsored overseas worker to access the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).

Effective from 1 July 2026, the CSIT will increase from $76,515.00 to $79,423.00.

The CSIT, together with the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) for the nominated position, helps ensure that sponsored overseas workers are remunerated fairly and are paid in line with what an equivalent Australian employee performing the same role would earn.

What is the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT)?

The TSMIT is the minimum annual salary that employers must pay a sponsored overseas worker to access the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa (subclass 187).

Effective from 1 July 2026, the TSMIT will increase from $76,515.00 to $79,423.00.

Similar to the CSIT requirement for the subclass 482 visa, applicants must be remunerated in line with the equivalent Australian market salary.

What is the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT)?

The SSIT is the minimum annual salary that employers must pay a sponsored overseas worker to access the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).

Effective from 1 July 2026, the SSIT will increase from $141,210.00 to $146,576.00.

Similar to the CSIT requirement for the subclass 482 visa and the TSMIT requirement for the subclass 494 and subclass 187 visas, applicants must be remunerated in line with the equivalent Australian market salary.

Who does the increases affect?

The increases will apply to all subclass 482, 186, 494 and 187 visa nominations lodged from 1 July 2026.

Employers lodging nominations from 1 July 2026 will need to ensure that their sponsored employees are remunerated at or above the applicable income threshold and the AMSR, whichever is higher.

Visa holders and nominations lodged before 1 July 2026 will not be affected by these increases.

What should you do to be ready for this change and any future nominations?

Employers sponsoring workers should review their current and upcoming salary arrangements to ensure they meet the relevant thresholds required by the Department.

You should:

• Check upcoming 482, 186, 494 and 187 nominations planned for lodgement after 1 July 2026;
• Budget for increased sponsorship costs where applicable;
• Ensure advertising requirements include the new salary; and
• Seek legal advice now so that you are prepared when lodging a visa application.

Failure to comply with the TSMIT, CSIT, SSIT or AMSR may result in delays or nomination refusals.

Contact our migration team to discuss how we can assist you.