Core Skills Income Threshold
AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
Source: Home Affairs: Salary requirements to nominate a worker (retrieved 4 October 2026)
For employers hiring overseas
Skills in Demand visa (482): an employer guide to streams and salary thresholds
The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) lets an approved employer nominate a skilled worker for a position. It has three streams: Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement. For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576.
By CrossNation Editorial Team. Sources checked 4 October 2026.
Official data
Key facts from official sources
Specialist Skills Income Threshold
AUD 146,576 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
Source: Home Affairs: Salary requirements to nominate a worker (retrieved 4 October 2026)
Specialist Skills occupations
The sponsored occupation must be in ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6.
Source: Home Affairs: Skills in Demand visa, Specialist Skills stream (retrieved 4 October 2026)
Labour Agreement stream
For skilled workers nominated by employers who have a labour agreement with the government.
Source: Home Affairs: Skills in Demand visa, Labour agreement stream (retrieved 4 October 2026)
Employer guide
What you need to know
What are the three streams?
Core Skills is for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List, and the nominated salary has to meet the Core Skills Income Threshold. Specialist Skills is for occupations in ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6, with the nominated salary meeting the Specialist Skills Income Threshold. The Labour Agreement stream is for employers that hold a labour agreement with the government. The streams sit under the 482 subclass that replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa. Which one applies turns on the occupation, so check the exact occupation against the Home Affairs lists before you plan around it.
What does the salary rule actually say?
Home Affairs publishes the thresholds that apply by the date a nomination is lodged. For nominations lodged on and between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027 the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576. These are floors, not the whole test. The nominated salary must also be at least the market salary rate for an equivalent Australian worker in the same role and location. Read the Home Affairs salary page and plan on the higher of the two.
Why the stream decides the recruitment brief
A chef, electrician or diesel mechanic belongs to a trades occupation group, and the Specialist Skills stream is limited to Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. Offering more money does not change the group. The same is true in healthcare, where some direct care roles do not sit on the Core Skills list and employers look at a labour agreement instead. Decide the stream before the search begins, because it changes the salary, the candidates who are eligible and the documents you will collect.
Where CrossNation fits
We work on the recruitment side. You tell us the occupation, location, salary and start date. We search for sponsorship-ready overseas candidates and candidates already in Australia, screen them against the role, and send a shortlist. The occupation code, stream, nomination and visa application are matters for you and your registered migration agent, and no shortlist is a promise of a visa or a start date.
Tell us the role, location and start date
The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does the lodgement date decide which threshold applies?
Home Affairs publishes thresholds by nomination lodgement date. For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the figures above apply.
Is the threshold the salary I must pay?
It is a floor. The nominated salary must also meet the market salary rate for an equivalent Australian worker in the role and location, so plan around the higher figure.
Can I pay more to use Specialist Skills for a trades role?
No. Specialist Skills is limited to ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, and salary does not change an occupation's group.
What happened to the Temporary Skill Shortage visa?
The subclass 482 continues as the Skills in Demand visa. Check the Home Affairs visa page for the current streams and rules.
Can CrossNation tell me which stream my role fits?
No. That is migration advice. We can discuss the recruitment brief, but the stream should be confirmed by a registered migration agent.