The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) is a minimum annual earnings floor that applies to the nomination of overseas workers for certain temporary skilled visa programs in Australia. Its purpose is to protect both Australian workers and sponsored workers by ensuring that temporary skilled migrants are paid at a rate that reflects genuine skill-level work and does not undercut the Australian labour market.

The TSMIT applies primarily to nominations under the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa for the Core Skills stream and the Labour Agreement stream. It does not apply to the Specialist Skills stream of the Subclass 482 (which has its own salary requirement — the Specialist Skills Income Threshold, which is higher than the TSMIT).

The TSMIT is annually indexed, typically effective from 1 July each year. Because the amount changes each year, the current TSMIT must be confirmed from the official source before relying on it. For the current TSMIT amount, refer to the DHA salary requirements page.

The TSMIT is set by legislative instrument under reg 2.72(10) of the Migration Regulations 1994. The current instrument in force specifies the TSMIT amount and the methodology for how annual earnings are calculated (including how allowances, loadings, and non-monetary benefits may be counted toward the threshold). Earlier instruments setting the TSMIT included IMMI 13/028 and IMMI 18/033; subsequent instruments have amended or replaced these. The Federal Register of Legislation contains the current in-force version of the relevant instrument.

How the TSMIT works in nominations:

When an approved sponsor nominates a position for a Subclass 482 Core Skills or Labour Agreement stream worker, the nomination must satisfy the TSMIT condition: the proposed annual earnings for the nominated position must be at or above the TSMIT in effect at the time of nomination. The position must also satisfy the market salary rate requirement — the worker must be paid no less than an equivalent Australian worker would be paid.

The dual requirement means that both must be met: the salary must be at or above the TSMIT and at or above the market salary rate for an equivalent Australian worker in that role. If the market salary rate for a role is higher than the TSMIT (as it commonly is for professional roles), the higher amount applies.

What counts as "annual earnings":

Annual earnings for TSMIT purposes may include:

• Base salary
• Guaranteed amounts of overtime or penalty rates (if they are regular and guaranteed)
• Allowances that are guaranteed and not reimbursement of expenses (some types)

Annual earnings generally do not include: bonuses (unless guaranteed), employer superannuation contributions (above the mandated amount), commission (unless guaranteed), or reimbursement of business expenses.

TSMIT and the Specialist Skills stream:

The Subclass 482 Specialist Skills stream (for highly paid, highly specialised workers in roles on the Specialist Skills Occupation List) has a higher income threshold — the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) — which is set above the TSMIT. The Specialist Skills stream does not require the nominated occupation to be on the standard occupation lists, reflecting the intended use for truly exceptional skill profiles.

TSMIT and Labour Agreements (including DAMAs):

Some labour agreements and DAMA arrangements provide for a concession on the TSMIT — allowing the employer to sponsor a worker at a salary below the standard TSMIT. These concessions are negotiated as part of the labour agreement and are specific to the occupation and region covered by the agreement.

The TSMIT was held at $53,900 for many years (from 2013–14 to 2022–23), then significantly increased when the government restructured the temporary skilled migration program in 2023 as part of the Migration Strategy reforms. The TSMIT is now indexed annually to Wage Price Index movements. The increase in 2023 was a significant policy shift designed to ensure that the temporary skilled migration program is used for genuine skill shortages at salary levels that do not disadvantage Australian workers.

For the current TSMIT amount applicable to nominations lodged today, refer to the DHA salary requirements page, which is updated each year when indexation takes effect. The DHA also maintains a news archive of TSMIT increase announcements.