Australia to Raise Skilled Visa Income Thresholds from July 2025
Team Universal Adviser
Published on: May 7, 2025
Annual Adjustment to Protect Local Workers' Wages
In a move designed to align skilled migrant wages with Australian workers’ earnings, the Australian Government has announced that from 1 July 2025, skilled visa income thresholds will rise by 4.6%. This adjustment corresponds with the latest changes in the Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) and reflects Australia’s ongoing efforts to maintain a fair and balanced migration system.
This development forms part of the broader Migration Strategy and follows recommendations set forth in the Migration Review, aiming to ensure that the integrity of Australia’s workforce is preserved by preventing wage undercutting through the skilled migration program.
Several major skilled visa streams will be impacted by the upcoming income threshold adjustments:
Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT): The CSIT will increase from AUD 73,150 to AUD 76,515. This change affects nomination applications under the Core Skills stream of the upcoming Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186).
Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT): The SSIT will rise from AUD 135,000 to AUD 141,210, impacting nominations for the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).
Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT): Applicants for the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (subclass 187) will also see an income threshold rise, matching the new CSIT figure of AUD 76,515.
However, this adjustment remains contingent on the passage of the necessary legislative approvals.
Starting 1 July 2025, new nomination applications must comply with the updated income thresholds or meet the annual market salary rate, whichever is higher. This ensures skilled migrants are offered competitive salaries that align with current Australian workforce standards.
Importantly, these changes will not affect:
Existing skilled visa holders
Nominations lodged before 1 July 2025.
This grandfathering approach ensures that individuals and employers already partway through the migration process are not retroactively impacted.
Why Annual Indexation Matters
Annual indexation of skilled migration thresholds plays a crucial role in Australia’s migration policy by:
Maintaining wage parity between local and skilled migrant workers,
Protecting Australian labor standards
Supporting a sustainable and fair immigration system.
By adjusting thresholds yearly in accordance with AWOTE, Australia reinforces its commitment to a migration program that complements, rather than competes with, the domestic workforce.
Key requirements for the Australia Family Visa dictate that the sponsor must be residing in Australia as an Australian Permanent Resident, Citizen, or qualified New Zealand Citizen. Additionally, the sponsor must:
Be at least 18 years old
Demonstrate sufficient income to support the applicant
Meet character and health standards if a qualified New Zealand Citizen residing in Australia
For Permanent Subclass Visas, sponsors must commit to providing financial support and accommodation to the applicant for two years following their arrival in Australia.
Other Family Members
Carers, Dependent Relatives, Sisters, and Brothers can also migrate to Australia initially on a Provisional Visa, with the possibility of later obtaining Permanent Resident status. Sponsorship requirements remain consistent, requiring sponsorship by an Australian Permanent Resident, Citizen, or qualified New Zealand Citizen.
The increase in skilled visa income thresholds represents a significant step toward a more equitable and sustainable migration system. Employers planning to sponsor skilled workers should begin preparing for these changes to ensure compliance when the new rules take effect in July 2025.
With Australia increasingly focusing on ensuring that migration supports its broader economic and social goals, such updates will likely continue to shape the future landscape of the nation’s skilled migration program.