Australia’s 482 Core Skills threshold for 2026–27: when AUD 79,423 applies
The Department of Home Affairs has set the 2026–27 Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) at AUD 79,423 for subclass 482 Skills in Demand Core Skills nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. The relevant date is when the employer lodges the nomination, not the employment contract date, the visa application date or the decision date. Meeting the CSIT does not guarantee that a nomination or visa will be approved. The position’s Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) and the other program requirements still need to be checked.
Which nominations use AUD 79,423
The AUD 79,423 figure applies to relevant nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. Home Affairs lists it for the subclass 482 Core Skills stream and for Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS, subclass 186) nominations lodged on or after 7 December 2024. For nominations lodged in the 2025–26 period, the CSIT was AUD 76,515. Do not use the previous year’s amount to assess a new nomination.
The thresholds are indexed annually from 1 July. If an employer is preparing a nomination but has not lodged it, confirm the expected lodgement date and the official threshold in force on that date. The date a job is offered or an employment contract is signed does not identify the applicable threshold year.
The CSIT does not replace the market-salary test
An employer cannot simply set salary at AUD 79,423 and assume that the pay requirements are satisfied. Home Affairs requires the employer to determine the position’s AMSR correctly and not pay less than an Australian worker doing the same work. Where the nominated salary is below AUD 250,000, both the AMSR and the worker’s guaranteed annual earnings must be no less than the applicable income threshold; non-monetary benefits are excluded from that threshold comparison. If the AMSR is higher than the CSIT, the market rate still matters. The threshold is not a substitute for paying the appropriate salary for the role.
For example, if comparable Australian workers are paid AUD 86,000 for a position, reaching the AUD 79,423 threshold alone would not establish that a nomination at AUD 79,423 meets all salary requirements. This is a hypothetical illustration of the comparison, not a fixed market rate for any occupation or a prediction of a decision. The AMSR must be supported by evidence relevant to the duties, location, employment terms and comparable roles.
Separate guaranteed pay from a package’s other items
Start by separating guaranteed cash earnings from non-monetary benefits. Accommodation, a vehicle or another benefit cannot fill a shortfall against the CSIT. Whether commission, bonuses, shift allowances or overtime can be counted depends on whether the amount is guaranteed, how it is documented and whether the arrangement complies with the official salary rules. Do not treat an amount that may be earned as guaranteed annual earnings. Employers should retain evidence of duties, hours, salary research and the terms of employment.
Recheck the amount if lodgement is delayed
Recruitment, labour market testing, contract negotiations or internal approvals may push a nomination past 1 July 2026 and into a different threshold year. If a nomination was validly lodged by 30 June 2026, a later visa decision does not by itself mean the new threshold applies; confirm the nomination date under the Department’s rules. If information is incomplete, a nomination must be lodged again, or a new nomination is made, reassess the applicable period.
The CSIT addresses only part of the salary criteria. The 482 Core Skills stream still has occupation, sponsorship, nomination, skills and experience requirements. Although the CSIT also applies to certain ENS subclass 186 nominations, the ENS pathway and the applicant’s eligibility should not be assumed to match the 482 rules. Assess the employer nomination and the visa applicant’s criteria separately.
A nomination salary checklist
Record the employer’s planned nomination lodgement date and use the CSIT for that period.
Confirm whether the case is a 482 Core Skills nomination or an ENS subclass 186 nomination covered by the CSIT.
Check guaranteed annual earnings; do not count non-monetary benefits or an unguaranteed bonus toward the threshold.
Determine the AMSR separately and keep evidence of comparable Australian positions.
Make sure the nominated pay meets the applicable threshold and the market-salary requirement.
Recheck the threshold if lodgement is delayed, information must be resubmitted or a new nomination is needed.
This article was checked against the Department of Home Affairs salary thresholds page on 20 October 2026. The Department indexes the thresholds annually from 1 July, so verify the current official amount before lodging. AUD 79,423 is the minimum income threshold for the stated period; it does not by itself establish the market salary or guarantee an application outcome.
Official sources and verification date
20 October 2026
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