Australia Visa Changes July 2026: 5 Things Migrants Must Know Before the New Financial Year

1. Salary Thresholds Are Going Up: CSIT and SSIT Increase on 1 July

The most immediate impact for employer-sponsored visa holders and their sponsors is the confirmed annual indexation of the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) and Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT). Based on the November 2025 Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the following increases take effect from 1 July 2026:

These thresholds function as the minimum guaranteed annual earnings an employer must offer when nominating a skilled worker under the Skills in Demand (SID) visa framework. The CSIT applies to the Core Skills stream (formerly the core of the old 482 visa), while the SSIT applies to those earning above the Specialist Skills threshold. The TSMIT of $79,499 continues to apply separately to Subclass 494 regional visa nominations under a different legislative instrument.

The critical detail many applicants miss is this: the threshold that applies is the one in effect when the nomination is lodged - not when the visa application is submitted. A nomination lodged on 29 June 2026 offering $77,000 base salary will pass the current CSIT of $76,515. The same nomination lodged on 2 July 2026 will fail the new CSIT of $79,499. For employers with multiple sponsored workers, this gap could mean thousands of dollars in additional payroll obligations per employee.

There is an additional cost convergence that few are discussing: payday superannuation also commences on 1 July 2026. Employers must pay superannuation at each pay cycle rather than quarterly, meaning the cash-flow impact of the threshold increases is amplified. A Core Skills worker at the new minimum of $79,499 plus the 12% Superannuation Guarantee costs approximately $89,039 per year - and that superannuation must now be remitted with every payslip, not deferred to the end of the quarter.

If you need to confirm which stream applies to your occupation, search for your ANZSCO occupation code to see which visa subclasses and skill lists your role falls under. For a comprehensive comparison of the 482, 186, and SID visa framework, read our employer-sponsored visa comparison guide.

What You Should Do Now

• Employers: Audit your sponsored workforce immediately. Any worker with a base salary between $76,515 and $79,498 is at risk of failing the new CSIT after 1 July. Either increase salary or lodge the nomination before 30 June
• Sponsored workers: Check your employment contract. If your base salary (excluding super, bonuses, and non-monetary benefits) is below $79,499, start the salary conversation with your employer this month
• Regional employers (494): The TSMIT applies separately - confirm your postcode eligibility and lodge before the deadline

2. Visa Application Fees Will Rise - Lock In Current Rates Before 30 June

The Department of Home Affairs adjusts the majority of Visa Application Charges (VAC) annually on 1 July, typically in line with Consumer Price Index (CPI) indexation. While the exact fee schedule for 2026-27 has not yet been gazetted (it is usually published in May or June), history tells us that virtually every visa subclass will see an increase.

Here are the current fees you can lock in by lodging before 30 June 2026:

Fees current as of April 2026. The next adjustment is expected on 1 July 2026.

The fee story of 2025-26 has demonstrated that CPI indexation is the floor, not the ceiling. The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa fee was doubled from $2,300 to $4,600 effective 1 March 2026 - a policy-driven increase far exceeding standard CPI. While there is no indication of similar targeted increases for other subclasses on 1 July 2026, the precedent has been set.

For families, the impact compounds rapidly. Secondary applicant fees (partners aged 18+) are typically 50% of the primary fee, and dependent children are approximately 25%. A family of four lodging a 189 visa at current rates pays approximately $13,500 in government fees alone. A 3.5% CPI increase would add roughly $470 to that total.

What You Should Do Now

• Skilled visa applicants (189/190/491): If your skills assessment and English test results are current and your EOI is competitive, consider lodging before 30 June to avoid fee increases
• Employer-sponsored applicants (482/186): Coordinate with your employer - both the nomination fee ($330) and the visa application charge should ideally be lodged before the deadline
• Partner visa applicants: At $9,365 per primary applicant, even a 3.5% increase means an additional $328. If your relationship evidence is ready, do not wait
• International graduates (485): The fee has already doubled to $4,600. Any further CPI increase on 1 July will compound this pain - lodge as soon as your course completion is confirmed

3. The End-of-Financial-Year Invitation Clean-Up: 189 and State Rounds

The April-to-June window is historically the most active period for SkillSelect invitation rounds and state nomination invitations. Both the federal government and state/territory governments face a simple reality at the end of each financial year: use it or lose it. Any remaining quota allocation for the 2025-26 Migration Programme that is not issued before 30 June simply expires.

Federal 189 - A Q2 Round Is Expected

The last Subclass 189 Skilled Independent invitation round was held on 13 November 2025. The Department of Home Affairs has shifted to a quarterly round model for 2025-26, and the final quarter (Q2: April-June 2026) is expected to include a round specifically designed to exhaust remaining programme allocations.

What this means for you:

• If you have a valid EOI in SkillSelect, update it immediately with any new points claims - a higher English score, additional work experience passing a milestone, a completed NAATI accreditation, or a newly validated skills assessment
• The tie-breaker for equal points scores is the date of effect - the date you last reached your current points score. Gaining even one additional point resets your date of effect and pushes you ahead of others at the same score
• Competitive scores for 189 invitations typically sit at 80-90+ points for most occupations. If you are below this range, focus your energy on state nomination (190/491) pathways instead

State Nomination Activity Is Peaking

Several states are actively completing their 2025-26 allocation rounds:

For a detailed breakdown of which state suits your occupation and score, read our State Nomination comparison guide or use the points strategy guide to identify where to apply based on your current score.

What You Should Do Now

• Update your SkillSelect EOI immediately. Claim every point you are entitled to - NAATI, new English results, updated work experience, partner skills
• Check state-specific deadlines. NSW has published exact dates; other states may close streams without warning once their allocation is committed
• If you are below 80 points for 189: Pivot to 190 or 491 - the EOFY is your best window for state invitations as governments push to fill remaining quotas

4. The Skills in Demand Framework Becomes the New Normal

When the Skills in Demand (SID) visa replaced the former Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) visa framework in December 2024, many employers and applicants treated it as a transitional arrangement - something that might still be amended before it "really" took effect. That window of uncertainty closes with the 2026-27 financial year.

By 1 July 2026, the SID framework - with its three distinct streams (Core Skills, Specialist Skills, and Essential Skills) - will have been operational for 18 months with no indication of rollback. The annual indexation of the CSIT and SSIT for FY2026-27 (discussed in Thing 1 above) further entrenches these thresholds as permanent features of the system, not stopgap measures.

What Permanence Means in Practice

For prospective migrants planning long-term pathways, the entrenchment of the SID framework creates three practical realities:

1. The PR pathway is clearer and more portable. Core Skills stream holders become eligible for permanent residency via the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (Temporary Residence Transition stream) after two years of full-time employment in their nominated occupation. Critically, time worked with any approved sponsor counts - if you change employers, your clock does not reset
2. The 180-day grace period provides genuine security. If your sponsorship ends (whether through redundancy, employer misconduct, or voluntary resignation), you have 180 days to find a new approved sponsor while retaining your work rights. This is a significant improvement over the old 482 framework
3. Occupation list stability is increasing. The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), maintained by Jobs and Skills Australia, is updated based on data-driven labour market analysis rather than political discretion. While lists can still change, the methodology is more transparent and less prone to sudden removals

What You Should Do Now

• Employers: If you are still referencing the old TSMIT or old-style 482 visa terminology in your HR manuals and sponsorship documentation, update them. The SID framework is the system - plan around it
• Workers: If you are on a legacy 482 visa, your existing conditions remain valid. When you apply for your 186 PR nomination, the thresholds in effect at that time will apply. Consider bringing forward your PR application timing to lock in current rates
• Prospective migrants: Use this stability to plan a genuine 3-5 year pathway. The SID visa grants up to 4 years, followed by a 186 PR application. Combined with the portable employment provisions, this is the most structured employer-sponsored pathway Australia has offered in a decade

5. State and Territory Quotas Reset - Be First in Line for 2026-27

On 1 July 2026, every state and territory's nomination allocation for the 2025-26 programme year zeroes out. The Australian Government will announce new allocations for the 2026-27 Migration Programme, and each state will receive its share of places for the Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) and Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) visa programmes.

What the Reset Means

The period immediately following the reset is paradoxically both the most opportunity-rich and most frustrating time of year for skilled migration applicants:

• State nomination programmes typically pause for several weeks (sometimes months) after 1 July while governments configure their new programme settings, update occupation lists, and finalise internal processing capacity
• When programmes reopen (historically between August and October), there is a rush of pent-up demand from applicants who have been waiting since the previous programme's allocation ran out
• The applicants who succeed in early rounds are those who spent the May-June "quiet period" getting their paperwork in perfect order - skills assessments completed, English scores maximised, EOIs updated with every possible point

Here is a comparison of how the timing typically works:

The NT Lesson

Northern Territory's complete closure of its nomination programme for 2025-26 (with allocation exhausted) is a stark reminder that state nominations are a finite resource. Every programme year, at least one state or territory exhausts its allocation early, leaving applicants who procrastinated with no options until the new year begins. In 2025-26, it was the NT. In 2026-27, it could be any state with high demand and limited places.

What You Should Do Now

• Maximise your English score now. Book your PTE, IELTS, or OET test for April or May. A one-band improvement (e.g., Proficient to Superior) can mean 10 additional points - the difference between a 190 invitation and silence
• Complete your skills assessment before July. Processing times for most assessing authorities are 6-12 weeks. If you have not started, you risk missing the early 2026-27 rounds entirely
• Research your target state. Do not apply blindly to every state - use our state nomination strategy guides to understand which states are prioritising your occupation. Queensland's Olympics-driven infrastructure push favours engineers and construction professionals. Victoria's rolling ROI model rewards higher salary evidence. Tasmania's tightened criteria mean only Gold Pass applicants are competitive for 190
• Consider regional pathways (491). With 15 bonus points and generally lower requirements than 190, the 491 visa remains the most accessible entry point to the skilled migration system for many applicants

Your EOFY Migration Action Checklist

To bring all five changes together, here is your comprehensive April-to-June action plan:

How First Migration Can Help

With five major changes converging on a single date, the risk of missing a deadline or misunderstanding a threshold has never been higher. At First Migration Service Centre, our registered migration agents are actively helping clients across every one of these categories:

• Salary threshold audits for employers navigating the CSIT/SSIT transition
• Time-critical nominations lodged before the 30 June deadline
• Points optimisation to position clients for the EOFY 189 round and early 2026-27 state invitations
• Strategic pathway planning for workers transitioning through the SID framework to permanent residency
• Fee-saving strategies to lock in current visa application charges before 1 July

Ready to take the next step? We invite you to submit a free visa assessment so we can understand your situation and provide tailored advice on how to act before the new financial year begins.