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ARTICLE · 14 APRIL 2026

Changes Afoot For Employer-sponsored Visas In Australia

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Employers should budget now for annual indexation of the skilled-visa income settings that sit alongside the market rate requirement. Skilled-visa income thresholds are indexed annually...

AustraliaEmployment and HR
Michael Stutley (Kingston Reid)
Michael Stutley (Kingston Reid)

The next few months bring real, practical changes for HR and Mobility teams using Australia’s employer-sponsored visas. The Department of Home Affairs will index skilled-visa income thresholds on 1 July 2026. New occupation priorities are in place, and faster decisions are being made on ‘decision-ready’ applications.

Indexation of income thresholds on 1 July

Employers should budget now for annual indexation of the skilled-visa income settings that sit alongside the market rate requirement. Skilled-visa income thresholds are indexed annually, with updates taking effect on 1 July each year.

Under the Skills in Demand visa program, sponsors must meet both the market salary rate and the streamspecific threshold for the Core Skills and Specialist Skills streams.

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