Australia Raises Skilled Visa Salary Thresholds and Application Charges From July 1, 2026
Australia raised the minimum salary floors for several employer-sponsored skilled visas from 1 July 2026, adjusting the figures that employers must meet when nominating overseas workers. SBS reports that the change lifts key income thresholds by about 3.8% and applies to new nomination applications lodged from that date.
According to SBS, the Core Skills Income Threshold moved from AUD 76,515 to AUD 79,423. That floor is relevant to Core Skills stream nominations under the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and to Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) nominations. The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold also rose from AUD 76,515 to AUD 79,423 for Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) nominations and for remaining Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) cases covered by the threshold rules.
SBS also reports that the Specialist Skills Income Threshold increased from AUD 141,210 to AUD 146,576. That higher floor applies to Specialist Skills stream nominations under the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). Employers and applicants should confirm the stream and nomination type before relying on any single figure, because the applicable threshold depends on the visa pathway used.
SBS states that the updated income settings apply to nominations lodged on or after 1 July 2026. Nominations already lodged before that date, and visas already granted under earlier settings, are not described as being rewritten solely because the indexed thresholds changed. However, a later nomination—such as one filed for a new employer, a renewal pathway, or a different stream—may need to meet the higher floor in force on the lodgement date.
The salary changes arrived alongside higher visa application charges. ABC News reports that dozens of visa categories became more expensive from 1 July 2026. SBS separately notes that many major visa charges rose by around 25%, including Skills in Demand (subclass 482) primary-applicant charges moving from about AUD 3,210 to about AUD 4,015 and Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) primary-applicant charges moving from about AUD 4,910 to about AUD 6,140.
In a statement quoted by ABC News, a Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said the government is reforming the migration system to operate in the national interest and that it is standard practice not to announce visa application charge changes ahead of implementation. The department also said Australia remains an attractive destination and that charge increases are unlikely to materially affect demand for most visas.
What's Next / Context
Australia indexes skilled visa income thresholds periodically so minimum nominated salaries move with broader wage measures. For employers, nomination budgets and offer letters need to match the figures in force on the day of lodgement. For skilled workers already holding a visa, the key question is usually timing: whether a new nomination is required, and whether that nomination will be assessed under the July 2026 floors.
The parallel rise in visa application charges adds a separate cost layer for businesses and families using employer-sponsored pathways. ABC News and SBS reporting shows the July adjustments reached beyond skilled work visas, though employer-sponsored skilled categories were among those with substantial percentage increases.
Current thresholds and charges should be confirmed on Department of Home Affairs visa pages and pricing tools before lodgement, including stream-specific rules for subclasses 482, 186, 494, and related pathways.
