Minimum Income Threshold for Subclass 482 & 186 to Increase from 1 July 2026

Date: 27 February 2026

From 1 July 2026, new minimum salary benchmarks will apply to employer-sponsored visa applications in Australia. These thresholds apply to:

Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186)

If you are lodging a 482 visa or 186 visa nomination on or after 1 July 2026, the new salary requirements will apply.

What Is Changing on 1 July 2026?

For the 2026–27 program year, the updated minimum earnings requirements will be:

Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT): $79,499
Previously $76,515
Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT): $146,717
Previously $141,210

The increase reflects national wage growth and applies to new nominations lodged on or after 1 July 2026.

When Do the New 482 and 186 Visa Salary Requirements Apply?

The determining factor is the date the application is lodged, not when it is decided.

Applications lodged before 1 July 2026 will be assessed against the current thresholds.
Applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026 must meet the higher 2026–27 benchmarks.

This distinction can significantly affect eligibility where salaries are close to the minimum threshold.

Why Do These Thresholds Increase Each Year?

The annual adjustments are not discretionary policy changes. They occur automatically under regulation 5.42A of the Migration Regulations 1994. The employer-sponsored visa income threshold is a mandatory minimum.

Businesses planning to sponsor workers should consider:

Whether nominations should be lodged before 1 July 2026
Reviewing employment contracts where salaries sit close to current thresholds
Budgeting for future annual indexation increases

For long-term subclass 482 holders intending to move to permanent residence via subclass 186, timing and remuneration structure should be reviewed carefully.

Summary: From 1 July 2026, CSIT will rise to $79,499, and SSIT will rise to $146,717. These updated benchmarks will apply to new subclass 482 and subclass 186 applications lodged on or after that date. Employers and visa holders should review salary arrangements well in advance to ensure compliance with the correct income threshold.