From 1 July 2026: CSIT rose to AUD 79,499, SSIT to 146,717 — who is affected and what to do now

If you (or your employer) are preparing a 482 or 186 nomination, circle this in red: from 1 July 2026, the CSIT rose from AUD 76,515 to 79,499 and the SSIT from 141,210 to 146,717 — applying to nominations lodged from that date onwards. The new rates are now in force.

The key point: only nominations lodged before 1 July 2026 kept the old thresholds (CSIT 76,515); every nomination lodged from 1 July 2026 is assessed against the new rates. For anyone negotiating an offer in the 76–79k zone, this is the difference between “meets the threshold” and “falls short”. This post explains the mechanism, who is affected, and what to do.

CSIT and SSIT — a quick refresher

• CSIT (Core Skills Income Threshold): the minimum salary for the Core Skills stream of the 482 visa — the most common stream, tied to the CSOL of ~456 occupations (see our CSOL 2026 post).
• SSIT (Specialist Skills Income Threshold): the threshold for the Specialist Skills stream — the door that bypasses occupation lists in exchange for a very high salary.

Neither threshold stands still: both are indexed annually to AWOTE (Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings — the ABS wage index), under the mechanism in regulation 5.42A. A 1 July increase is a scheduled event — not a surprise policy change — but its impact on individual files is real.

The numbers from 1 July 2026

The most important application rule: the new thresholds apply to nominations LODGED FROM 1 July 2026. Only nominations lodged before that date were assessed against the old thresholds — the timing leverage of the May–June season has now closed.

Who is affected

1. Anyone negotiating an offer around 76–79k

The clearest squeeze zone: an offer of 77–79k AUD met the old CSIT but falls short of the new threshold from 1 July 2026. With the lodge-before-30-June window now closed, the remaining exit is to negotiate the salary to 79,499 or above. Note: guaranteed earnings must meet the threshold at the applicable time — for any nomination lodged now, the floor is 79,499.

2. Employers preparing nomination renewals

A fresh nomination for existing staff (renewal, change of position, change of entity) lodged from 1 July 2026 is assessed against the new thresholds — businesses should audit their visa workforce and salary levels now.

3. 186 applications lodged from 1 July 2026

The 482 to 186 TRT pathway also carries salary requirements at the nomination stage — files lodged from 1 July 2026 are all costed against the new floor.

Meeting the threshold is not enough — there is also AMSR

A common misconception: “pay 79,499 and we’re done”. No — the law requires the salary to satisfy both tests:

1. At or above the threshold (CSIT/SSIT by stream) — this is the floor;
2. At the AMSR (Annual Market Salary Rate) — the genuine market rate for the role: what an Australian doing the same job in the same place earns, which the sponsored worker must be paid equivalently.

A role with a market rate of 95k paid at 80k “to clear the floor” still fails the nomination. The threshold is the legal floor; the market is the real measuring stick.

On guaranteed earnings (the income compared against the threshold): broadly, base salary plus certain amounts guaranteed in advance — exactly which components count has its own rules; check the current Home Affairs guidance when structuring a package.

Checklist under the new thresholds (in force from 1 July 2026)

1. Waiting on or negotiating an offer: the new rates now apply — if the salary sits in the 76.5–79.5k zone, negotiate up to 79,499+ so any nomination lodged now meets the threshold.
2. Nomination already in preparation: every file lodged from 1 July 2026 is assessed against the new rates — confirm guaranteed earnings clear the 79,499 (CSIT) or 146,717 (SSIT) floor before lodging.
3. Employers: review every visa employee with a nomination planned in the next 12 months against the new thresholds.
4. Long-term planners: compare your industry’s typical salary with the new CSIT — if your occupation usually pays under 79.5k, start costing alternatives early (regional, DAMA, points visas).
5. In every case: confirm the figures on the official page at lodgement — the thresholds index every 1 July.

Summary

The 1 July 2026 indexation is not a policy shock — it is the scheduled AWOTE uplift — and it is now in force. The golden rules: the threshold locks at the nomination lodgement date, the salary must meet both the threshold and the market rate, and every salary–visa plan for the second half of 2026 must be built on the current numbers: 79,499 and 146,717.

Not sure whether your offer clears the new threshold or needs restructuring? Contact VisaAffairs for a review of your specific situation.

References

• Department of Home Affairs — Salary requirements for sponsoring a worker — CSIT, SSIT and AMSR.
• Department of Home Affairs — Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) — streams and criteria.
• Department of Home Affairs — Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) — PR nomination requirements.

This article is general information current at publication. Australian migration rules change regularly — check the date and contact VisaAffairs before relying on it for your own case. Book a consultation for advice on your specific circumstances.