What is the Core Skills Income Threshold (2026)?

Quick answer: The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) — the minimum salary an employer must offer to sponsor someone on a Subclass 482 or Subclass 186 visa — increased to $79,423 per annum from 1 July 2026. If you’re an employer considering sponsorship, or a skilled worker weighing up an offer, this number now sets the floor for what’s allowed.

What actually changed

Every employer-sponsored visa — the Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (Subclass 186) — requires the nominated position to meet a minimum salary threshold. As of 1 July 2026, that threshold is $79,423 per annum, up from the previous figure.

This isn’t a target or a guideline. It’s a must. If the nominated salary sits below the CSIT, the nomination doesn’t meet the legal requirement, regardless of how strong the rest of the application is.

CSIT vs Annual Market Salary Rate — which one applies?

This is where most of the confusion happens. The nominated salary actually has to satisfy two separate tests, and you need to meet whichever is higher:

• The CSIT ($79,423 as of 1 July 2026) — a flat, government-set minimum that applies regardless of occupation or location.
• The Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) — what an equivalent Australian worker would genuinely be paid for the same role, in the same location, at the same seniority. This varies by occupation and can sit well above the CSIT for many roles.

In practice, the CSIT is the minimum possible salary — for a lot of professional and skilled occupations, the actual market rate will be higher than $79,423, and that higher figure is what has to be offered.

Why this trips employers up

We regularly see genuine, well-intentioned nominations run into trouble here — not because the employer is trying to underpay anyone, but because they’ve priced the role against what they’d pay a junior local hire, rather than what the market actually pays for that specific position. The Department doesn’t assess intent; it assesses the number against the evidence.

Getting the market salary evidence right — award rates, comparable job ads, industry benchmarking — is one of the more common places a nomination stalls or gets queried. It’s worth getting this right before lodgement, not after a request for further information lands.

What this means for you

If you’re an employer considering sponsoring someone: check your proposed salary against both the CSIT and the actual market rate for the role before you commit to an offer or start the nomination.

If you’re a skilled worker being offered sponsorship: it’s worth knowing this number yourself. An offer that sits below $79,423 (or below the genuine market rate for your role) isn’t a valid basis for a 482 or 186 nomination.

If you’re unsure where your situation sits, that’s exactly the kind of thing worth a conversation before you lodge anything — a quick check now is a lot cheaper than a refused nomination later.

This article is general information only and does not constitute migration advice. The Core Skills Income Threshold and related requirements are subject to change — always confirm current figures with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent before relying on them for a real application.

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