Start planning now: Salary thresholds increase for 482 and 186 visas from 1 July 2026
Released yesterday, the latest Average Weekly Earnings data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows an average 3.9% increase in weekly earnings for Australian workers.
What does this mean?
The Migration Regulations allow for the Subclass 482 and 186 minimum salary thresholds to automatically increase each year on 1 July based on the Average Weekly Earnings data.
An increase of 3.9% would be:
| Threshold | Current Amount | 1 July 2026 amount | Including Super |
| Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) – 482 and 186 | $76,515 | $79,499 | $89,038 |
| Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) – 482 only | $141,210 | $146,717 | $164,323 |
Who will be affected?
Nominations for a Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa or Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa that are lodged on or after 1 July 2026.
Nominations lodged before 1 July will be processed under the current threshold amounts.
Note the automatic update does not affect the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) for Subclass 494 visa applications; however, it is expected that Immigration will also increase this in line with the CSIT.
What should businesses do now?
Businesses considering sponsorship or who already have 482 visa holders hoping to transition to permanent residency should review:
- Eligibility dates – When will your employee be eligible for a 482 or 186 application? Can you lodge the Nomination before 1 July to beat the salary increase?
- Visa expiry dates – Is there a visa expiry that needs to be planned for?
- Milestone birthdays – Are any workers nearing 45 years of age, which could mean they would no longer be eligible for a 186 application?
- Labour Market Testing – Do you need to demonstrate LMT? Advertising needs to run for at least 28 consecutive days before a 482 Nomination can be lodged. The latest date to post advertising to lodge before the increase would be 1 June 2026.
What should potential applicants do now?
- English ability – Do you have a valid English test that meets the minimum scores for your visa type?
- Skills Assessment – Do you need a formal skills assessment? Subclass 186 Direct Entry and certain 482 occupations require a skills assessment to be eligible. Some of these can take 10-12 weeks to process.
- Work experience – Have you collected sufficient evidence of your work experience, including reference letters, payslips, tax records, and/or bank statements?
How can AVIE help?
AVIE’s agents can assess potential applicants for temporary and permanent visa pathways, review existing sponsored worker options, and provide planning and strategy for employer sponsors. Contact our Corporate Immigration Services team for assistance today.
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