Australia Releases New Salary Benchmarks for Foreign Skilled Workers

To ensure that foreign employees in Australia are not underpaid, income thresholds are updated annually for fair pay of abroad skilled workers.

Recently, the government of Australia announced new wage standards for overseas workers, effective July 1, 2025. Other than the salary indication revision that usually happens on July 1st of each year.

If a worker from any country applies for a sponsorship or files for any nomination application on or after this date, they must meet the relevant income threshold for that year. The new upcoming nominations must meet the new relevant income threshold or the annual market salary rate, whichever is higher. However, keep in mind, changes will not apply to any existing visa holders or nominations lodged before 1st July 2025.

So, from July 1st, 2025, the skilled visa income threshold will be increased by 4.6%. This is in line with changes to the annual Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE).

From July 1, 2025, the following changes in the income threshold are going to take place:

Changes in Core Skills Income Threshold

The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) is set to increase from AUD 73,150 to AUD 76,515, starting on July 1, 2025. The change is going to benefit new nomination applications for the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186).

Applications coming after December 7, 2024, make it crucial for applicants to meet the new CSIT requirements to ensure their nominations are processed successfully. This increase in the income threshold is a part of a strategy to uphold the integrity of the skilled migration program while ensuring that foreign workers are not underpaid compared to their Australian counterparts.

Specialist Skills Income Threshold

A shift from AUD 135,000 to AUD 141,210 in the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) is going to take place starting in July 2025. This adjustment is going to hugely impact nomination applications for the specialists' skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). All the applicants from December 7, 2024, registered under this stream must comply with the updated SSIT requirements.

Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold

The Temporary Income Threshold (TSMIT) is going to rise from AUD 73,150 to AUD 76, 515 effectively by July 1, 2025. This increase will affect the nomination applications for the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa (subclass 187). For all the nominations coming between December 7, 2024, and June 30, 2025, the current TSMIT remains at AUD 73,150.