Australia hikes skilled visa salary threshold to Rs 96 lakh from July 1

Planning to work in Australia? New salary thresholds for Subclass 482 visas from July 2026 may affect eligibility and employer hiring plans

Australia is set to raise salary thresholds for its key work visa routes from July 1, 2026, tightening entry conditions even as labour shortages continue across several sectors.

 

The Department of Home Affairs last week confirmed that the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) linked to the Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa will increase by 3.9 per cent—from AUD 76,515 to AUD 79,499 (about Rs 52 lakh). The higher threshold under the Specialist Skills stream will rise from AUD 141,210 to AUD 146,717 (approx Rs 96 lakh).

 

What is the Subclass 482 visa?

 

The Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa is Australia’s main employer-sponsored route, allowing companies to hire foreign workers when suitably skilled local candidates are not available.

   

There are two key streams under this visa:

 

• Core skills stream: Covers a wide range of occupations on Australia’s skilled occupation lists. This is the most commonly used pathway for overseas professionals

• Specialist skills stream: Designed for high-income roles requiring advanced expertise, with a higher salary threshold

 

Applicants must be nominated by an approved employer and meet skill, qualification, and experience requirements relevant to their occupation.

 

Why the income threshold matters

 

The CSIT acts as a salary floor, meaning employers must offer at least this minimum pay to sponsor a foreign worker under the visa.

 

The increase means:

 

• Employers will need to budget higher salaries to sponsor overseas talent

• Some roles that previously qualified may no longer meet the threshold

• Workers earning below the new limit may not be eligible for sponsorship

 

At the same time, the higher threshold is meant to ensure that migrant workers are paid in line with local wage standards.

 

How skilled workers can benefit

 

For skilled professionals, particularly those in sectors such as technology, engineering, healthcare, and construction, the visa continues to offer a pathway to work in Australia.

 

Key advantages include:

 

• Access to Australian employers: The visa allows direct entry into the labour market through employer sponsorship

• Work experience in Australia: This can support long-term migration prospects

• Pathways to permanent residency: Many 482 visa holders later move to permanent visas, depending on eligibility

 

However, the higher salary thresholds could narrow opportunities for mid-level roles, making it more important for applicants to target higher-paying positions or specialised skill sets.

 

Shortages persist across key sectors

 

The changes come at a time when Australia continues to face workforce gaps.

 

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), released in January 2026, showed more than 330,000 unfilled jobs across key industries, even as thousands of qualified permanent migrants remained underemployed.

 

The shortages were most acute in:

 

• Health care and social assistance: 59,600 vacancies

• Professional, scientific and technical services: 33,600 vacancies

• Construction: 18,100 vacancies

• Education and training: 13,600 vacancies

 

Violet Roumeliotis, spokesperson for Activate Australia’s Skills and CEO of campaign convener SSI, said the figures reflect long-standing workforce gaps.

 

“These aren’t short-term blips - they’re structural gaps that are holding back productivity and economic growth,” Roumeliotis said.

 

She said faster and more accessible overseas skills recognition could help address these shortages. “Our complex skills recognition system is slowing down the workforce Australians rely on every day,” she said. “Everyone loses when skilled professionals are held back from contributing fully to our country.”