482 Visa Salary Requirements 2026: CSIT, SSIT and Market Salary Explained
For Australian employers sponsoring a worker under the Skills in Demand visa, meeting the salary requirement involves more than checking a single minimum figure. The 482 visa salary requirements combine the applicable income threshold, either the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) or Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT), with the salary rules that apply to an equivalent Australian worker.
For nomination applications lodged from 1 July 2026, the CSIT is AUD 79,423 and the SSIT is AUD 146,576. For most positions below the high annual-earnings exception, employers must also determine the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) and ensure the sponsored worker is not paid less than the applicable market rate.
Key Takeaways
The Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 from 1 July 2026.
The Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576 from 1 July 2026.
CSIT and SSIT are income thresholds. They are not standard salaries for every sponsored occupation.
For most nominations below the relevant high annual-earnings exception, employers must also determine the Annual Market Salary Rate.
If the applicable market salary is higher than the relevant income threshold, paying only the threshold is not enough.
Compulsory superannuation and variable payments such as non-guaranteed bonuses cannot simply be added to the base salary to meet the income threshold.
Employers should establish the salary position and retain supporting evidence before lodging the nomination.
If you need an overview of occupation, employer and candidate eligibility first, read Genuine Solutions' 482 Visa Requirements 2026: Complete Guide to the Skills in Demand Visa.
What Are the 482 Visa Salary Requirements in 2026?
The subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa allows eligible Australian employers to sponsor overseas workers for skilled positions. Salary is a critical part of the employer nomination, but Home Affairs does not assess salary by looking at only one universal minimum.
From 1 July 2026, the income thresholds are:
Requirement | 2026 Amount | Relevant 482 Stream |
Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) | AUD 79,423 | Core Skills |
Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) | AUD 146,576 | Specialist Skills |
Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) | Varies by role | Market-based assessment |
The Australian Government confirmed that the CSIT increased from AUD 76,515 to AUD 79,423 and the SSIT increased from AUD 141,210 to AUD 146,576 from 1 July 2026.
The key distinction for employers is that the income threshold is not automatically the salary that should be offered. Under the Migration Regulations, where the relevant AMSR criteria apply, the nominated worker's annual earnings must not be below the AMSR, and the earnings excluding non-monetary benefits must also satisfy the relevant income threshold.
For example, if a Core Skills role has a properly determined market salary of AUD 92,000, an employer cannot rely on the AUD 79,423 CSIT and offer AUD 82,000 simply because the offer exceeds the threshold. The market salary remains relevant.
What Is the Core Skills Income Threshold?
The Core Skills Income Threshold, or CSIT, is the income threshold applying to the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa. From 1 July 2026, the CSIT is AUD 79,423.
The threshold is indexed annually using the mechanism provided in Australia's migration legislation. This makes the intended nomination lodgement date important. An employer who starts recruitment before 1 July but lodges a nomination after the annual adjustment should check the threshold that applies at lodgement rather than relying on an earlier figure.
Employers should also separate the CSIT from the broader employment value of the role. A professional position may have a normal Australian market salary materially above AUD 79,423 because of the employee's experience, duties, location, applicable award or agreement, or current labour-market conditions.
Does Meeting the CSIT Automatically Make the Salary Compliant?
No. Where the AMSR provisions apply, exceeding the CSIT alone does not resolve the salary requirement.
Suppose an employer determines that an equivalent Australian worker performing the same work at the same location would earn AUD 95,000. Offering the sponsored worker AUD 85,000 would exceed the 2026 CSIT but remain below the market salary used in this example.
This is why salary should be assessed as part of the employer nomination process rather than treated as a simple threshold check. Employers reviewing the broader process can also refer to Genuine Solutions' Employer Sponsorship: 4 Steps Australian Employers Must Follow in 2026.
What Is the Specialist Skills Income Threshold?
The Specialist Skills Income Threshold, or SSIT, applies to the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa. From 1 July 2026, the threshold is AUD 146,576.
Salary is not the only factor determining whether a position belongs in the Specialist Skills stream. The occupation must also satisfy the stream's occupation-related requirements. Employers should therefore avoid assuming that any position paying more than AUD 146,576 automatically qualifies for the Specialist Skills stream.
The practical difference between the two thresholds is:
| CSIT | SSIT |
Full name | Core Skills Income Threshold | Specialist Skills Income Threshold |
Amount from 1 July 2026 | AUD 79,423 | AUD 146,576 |
Relevant stream | Core Skills | Specialist Skills |
Fixed market salary for an occupation? | No | No |
Market salary considerations still relevant? | Yes, where AMSR rules apply | Yes, where AMSR rules apply |
What Is the Annual Market Salary Rate?
The Annual Market Salary Rate represents the annual earnings an Australian citizen or permanent resident earns, or would earn, for equivalent full-time work at the same workplace and location.
This is a different concept from the CSIT or SSIT. The income thresholds establish statutory salary floors for the relevant visa streams. AMSR asks a separate practical question: what would an Australian worker doing equivalent work actually be paid?
The current AMSR methodology distinguishes between situations where the business already employs an equivalent Australian worker and situations where it does not.
When an Equivalent Australian Worker Exists
If an Australian citizen or permanent resident works at the same workplace, at the same location and performs equivalent work, the employer should use the methodology specified in the current legislative instrument.
Where an applicable Fair Work instrument, state industrial instrument or transitional instrument applies, the AMSR is determined using the earnings specified by that instrument or relevant employment documents, provided the result is not below the applicable instrument. If no such instrument applies, the employer determines the AMSR by reference to relevant employment documents for the equivalent Australian worker.
In practice, relevant evidence may include employment contracts, payslips and the industrial instrument applying to the position.
When There Is No Equivalent Australian Worker
Where the business does not employ an equivalent Australian worker at the same workplace and location, the employer must establish what such a worker would earn.
If an industrial instrument applies to the nominated occupation, that instrument forms an important benchmark. The current AMSR rules also allow relevant market information to be used when determining the rate.
Relevant evidence can include remuneration data, national recruitment advertisements, industry salary surveys and written advice from relevant employer associations or unions. The evidence should reflect the actual role, duties, seniority and location rather than simply producing a generic national salary figure.
Employers should also check whether the position is covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. Fair Work pay guides provide minimum rates for award-covered employees, but they do not apply where an employee is covered by an enterprise agreement.
How Do CSIT, SSIT and AMSR Work Together?
For most employers, the clearest approach is to assess salary in sequence.
First, identify whether the nomination is being made under the Core Skills or Specialist Skills stream. Then check the current CSIT or SSIT. After that, determine the applicable AMSR and compare it with the salary proposed for the sponsored worker.
Consider these simplified examples:
Scenario | Relevant Threshold | Illustrative AMSR | Proposed Salary | Outcome |
Core Skills A | $79,423 | $75,000 | $82,000 | Above both figures |
Core Skills B | $79,423 | $95,000 | $85,000 | Above CSIT but below AMSR |
Specialist Skills | $146,576 | $150,000 | $152,000 | Above both figures |
These figures are illustrative only and are not market salary benchmarks for any specific occupation.
The practical workflow is:
Identify the stream → Check CSIT or SSIT → Determine AMSR → Compare the proposed salary → Prepare supporting evidence → Lodge the nomination
There is also a separate AUD 250,000 annual-earnings amount in the legislation. Regulation 2.72 provides that the detailed AMSR criteria in that part of the nomination assessment apply when the Minister is not satisfied that the nominee's annual earnings will be at least the amount specified by legislative instrument, which is currently AUD 250,000. Employers dealing with remuneration at or above that level should apply the current legislative rules to the specific nomination rather than relying on the general examples above.
What Counts Towards the 482 Salary Requirement?
A remuneration package can contain several components, but employers should not assume every component can be counted in the same way for immigration salary purposes.
The Migration Regulations distinguish annual earnings from certain payments that cannot be reliably determined in advance. The relevant threshold tests also expressly assess earnings excluding non-monetary benefits.
This matters where the remuneration package contains items such as:
compulsory superannuation
performance bonuses
variable commissions
overtime
allowances
accommodation or other non-monetary benefits.
The safest employer approach is to identify what remuneration is guaranteed and what is contingent or non-monetary before comparing the package with the CSIT, SSIT and AMSR.
Does Superannuation Count Towards the 482 Salary Threshold?
Employers should not assume that compulsory superannuation can simply be added to base salary to reach the applicable CSIT or SSIT.
For example, a package of AUD 76,000 plus compulsory employer superannuation should not be treated as satisfying a CSIT of AUD 79,423 merely because the combined employment cost exceeds that amount.
The guaranteed salary and the way earnings are treated under the Migration Regulations should be checked separately from the employer's total payroll cost.
Can Bonuses and Commissions Be Used?
Variable remuneration needs particular care. A bonus or commission that depends on future performance is different from guaranteed annual remuneration because the eventual amount may not be known when the nomination is assessed.
Employers should therefore avoid designing a package that only reaches the relevant salary threshold if uncertain incentives are achieved. The salary structure used in the nomination should be supported by the employment documentation and remain consistent with the remuneration the worker will actually receive.
Common 482 Salary Compliance Mistakes
The most common error is treating the CSIT as the standard salary for every Core Skills position. A position can exceed the CSIT and still have a market salary problem if an equivalent Australian worker would be paid more.
Another risk is relying on outdated figures. The CSIT moved from AUD 76,515 to AUD 79,423 on 1 July 2026, while the SSIT increased from AUD 141,210 to AUD 146,576. Employers planning recruitment across the end of a financial year should confirm which threshold will apply when the nomination is actually lodged.
Weak AMSR evidence can also create problems. A single generic salary estimate may not accurately reflect the occupation, location, duties or level of experience involved. Where an equivalent Australian worker exists, the business should assess that worker's actual employment arrangements. Where one does not exist, the market evidence should be relevant and defensible.
Finally, salary compliance should not be left until the end of recruitment. If the business completes advertising, selects a candidate and agrees to a remuneration package before properly checking the salary rules, it may need to change the offer or repeat parts of the recruitment process.
482 Salary Compliance Checklist for Employers
Before lodging a nomination, confirm:
the correct Skills in Demand stream
the CSIT or SSIT applying on the intended nomination date
the nominated occupation and actual job duties
whether an equivalent Australian worker exists
whether an award, enterprise agreement or other industrial instrument applies
the method used to determine the AMSR
the evidence supporting that market rate
the worker's guaranteed remuneration
which remuneration components can be counted
consistency between the contract, recruitment material and nomination documents.
This salary review should form part of the broader employer sponsorship process, alongside Labour Market Testing, occupation eligibility and evidence that the nominated role reflects a genuine business requirement.
How Genuine Solutions Can Help Employers Prepare for Sponsorship
Salary compliance is closely connected to recruitment and nomination documentation. Employers may need to show that the proposed remuneration reflects the local market while also demonstrating genuine recruitment activity and a genuine need for the position.
Genuine Solutions supports Australian employers with the employer-side preparation involved in sponsorship, including international recruitment, Labour Market Testing support, candidate sourcing, market evidence and Genuine Need of Position documentation. Where migration advice is required, the employer's visa strategy should also be considered with the appropriate registered migration professional.
If your business is preparing to sponsor an overseas worker, speak with Genuine Solutions about your recruitment and employer sponsorship requirements before the nomination is lodged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum salary for a 482 visa in 2026?
From 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576. The actual salary required for a position can be higher where the applicable Annual Market Salary Rate is higher than the relevant threshold.
What is the Core Skills Income Threshold in 2026?
The CSIT is AUD 79,423 from 1 July 2026. It is the relevant income threshold for the Core Skills stream of the subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa.
What is the Specialist Skills Income Threshold in 2026?
The SSIT is AUD 146,576 from 1 July 2026. It applies to nominations under the Specialist Skills stream, together with the other requirements that determine whether the position qualifies for that stream.
What if the market salary is higher than the CSIT?
Where the AMSR rules apply, the employer must not rely on the CSIT alone. If the correctly determined Annual Market Salary Rate is higher than the CSIT, the sponsored worker's annual earnings must meet the applicable market salary requirement.
Does superannuation count towards the 482 salary threshold?
Employers should not simply add compulsory superannuation to a lower base salary to reach the CSIT or SSIT. The migration salary rules distinguish relevant earnings from other components of an employment package, and the income threshold assessment excludes non-monetary benefits.
How does an employer determine the Annual Market Salary Rate?
If an equivalent Australian worker exists at the same workplace and location, the employer uses the applicable industrial instrument and relevant employment documents. If there is no equivalent Australian worker, the employer may need to use the applicable industrial instrument together with relevant market evidence such as remuneration surveys, national recruitment advertisements or other recognised salary information.
Do the 482 salary thresholds change every year?
The income thresholds are subject to annual indexation. Employers should check the current threshold applying at the time of nomination rather than relying on a figure from an earlier financial year.
Conclusion
The 482 visa salary requirements for 2026 are not simply a matter of paying more than one headline number. From 1 July 2026, the CSIT is AUD 79,423 and the SSIT is AUD 146,576, but employers also need to understand how the Australian market salary rules apply to the nominated position.
For most employers, the practical sequence is straightforward: identify the correct stream, check the current income threshold, determine the applicable market salary, confirm the remuneration structure and retain evidence supporting the result. Getting those steps right before nomination helps reduce avoidable compliance issues later in the sponsorship process.
Genuine Solutions can support employers with the recruitment, Labour Market Testing and employer documentation that sits around the sponsorship process. If your business is preparing to hire an overseas worker, contact Genuine Solutions to discuss the employer-side requirements before moving forward.
