The Department of Home Affairs has released its annual update to the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), lifting the base figure from AUD 73,150 to AUD 76,515 for the 2025-26 programme year. The higher benchmark, published on 31 March 2026, applies to new nomination applications under key employer-sponsored subclasses—including the Skills-in-Demand (482), Employer Nomination Scheme (186) and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (187/494). Canberra indexes the threshold each year to Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) data to ensure that migrant workers are paid in line with Australian peers. The 4.6 % increase is the largest since 2023 and comes amid strong wage growth in health, IT and construction. A separate Specialist Skills Income Threshold has also jumped to AUD 141,210, targeting senior engineers, medical consultants and other niche roles.
![Minimum salary thresholds for employer-sponsored visas rise to AUD 76,515]()
Navigating these updated thresholds can be daunting, but VisaHQ’s Australia team (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) simplifies the process for both employers and applicants by offering tailored guidance on salary benchmarking, documentation, and timely lodgement—helping ensure that nominations meet the new criteria from the outset.
Employers must meet the new TSMIT *and* demonstrate that remuneration satisfies the “annual market salary rate” test—a safeguard designed to prevent under-payment of foreign staff and wage suppression for local workers. Migration agents warn that nominations lodged on or after 1 July 2025 that quote figures below AUD 76,515 risk an automatic Request for Further Information (RFI) or outright refusal, potentially derailing time-sensitive projects. Businesses with multi-year labour agreements—particularly in agribusiness and hospitality—should audit upcoming renewals now. Where genuine market salaries fall below the threshold, employers may need to consider labour-market testing for local hires, revising role scopes, or sponsoring at a higher classification. For visa applicants, the change translates to stronger payslips but may make employer sponsorship slightly harder to secure in highly competitive sectors. Prospective migrants are advised to review offer letters and ensure contracts explicitly reference the updated income floor before committing to relocation.
Navigating these updated thresholds can be daunting, but VisaHQ’s Australia team (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) simplifies the process for both employers and applicants by offering tailored guidance on salary benchmarking, documentation, and timely lodgement—helping ensure that nominations meet the new criteria from the outset.
Employers must meet the new TSMIT *and* demonstrate that remuneration satisfies the “annual market salary rate” test—a safeguard designed to prevent under-payment of foreign staff and wage suppression for local workers. Migration agents warn that nominations lodged on or after 1 July 2025 that quote figures below AUD 76,515 risk an automatic Request for Further Information (RFI) or outright refusal, potentially derailing time-sensitive projects. Businesses with multi-year labour agreements—particularly in agribusiness and hospitality—should audit upcoming renewals now. Where genuine market salaries fall below the threshold, employers may need to consider labour-market testing for local hires, revising role scopes, or sponsoring at a higher classification. For visa applicants, the change translates to stronger payslips but may make employer sponsorship slightly harder to secure in highly competitive sectors. Prospective migrants are advised to review offer letters and ensure contracts explicitly reference the updated income floor before committing to relocation.
