Australia to raise skilled visa income thresholds, starting this July

The Australian government has confirmed that skilled visa income thresholds will rise by 4.6% from 1 July 2025. The change aligns with the annual indexation of Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) and is part of broader reforms recommended in the federal Migration Review and outlined in the government’s Migration Strategy, as per the official announcement by The Department of Home Affairs, Australia.

The updated thresholds will apply to a range of employer-sponsored skilled visa programs and aim to ensure that the skilled migration system remains responsive to labour market conditions.

Revised thresholds from 1 July 2025:

• Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT):
  Will increase from AUD 73,150 to AUD 76,515.
  Applies to nomination applications under the Core Skills stream for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) and Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visas.
  
  
• Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT):
  Will rise from AUD 135,000 to AUD 141,210.
  Applies to the Specialist Skills stream under the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa.
  
  
• Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT):
  Will increase from AUD 73,150 to AUD 76,515, matching the CSIT.
  Applies to nominations under the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) visas.
  
  

From 1 July, employers submitting new nomination applications must offer either the new minimum threshold or the annual market salary rate—whichever is higher. The new thresholds are intended to maintain fair market standards and ensure skilled migrants are not underpaid.

This change will not affect current visa holders or nomination applications lodged before 1 July 2025.

The Department of Home Affairs first announced the updates on 24 March 2025 as part of its commitment to improving wage protections in the migration system. The adjustments reflect the government’s push to balance skilled migration with fair employment conditions and regional development needs.