An Australia work visa begins with an approved sponsor, not with your profile. From 1 July 2026 the salary floor for the Core Skills stream is AUD 79,423, and the figure circulating widely online is not the legislated one.
Meeras Resource | Published 29 September 2026 | Last reviewed 29 September 2026
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The main Australia work visa from India is the subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa, which requires sponsorship by an approved Australian employer.
It has three streams: Specialist Skills, Core Skills and Essential Skills. The stream is decided by salary, not by seniority.
From 1 July 2026 the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576.
The figure of AUD 79,499 quoted on many sites is an AWOTE projection, not the amount set in the regulations registered on 30 June 2026.
Salary must clear both the income threshold and the annual market salary rate for the role. These are two separate tests and both must be satisfied.
The short answer
An Australia work visa from India is in most cases the subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa. It requires an approved Australian employer to sponsor you, a nominated role on the Core Skills Occupation List, at least one year of relevant work experience, and a salary that meets both the applicable income threshold and the market rate for the role. Unlike the points tested permanent routes, your own profile does not determine eligibility. The job does. Our Work Permit page sets out the employer linked routes we advise on across all destinations.
What the Skills in Demand visa replaced, and why the name matters
On 7 December 2024 the subclass 482 was restructured. The Temporary Skill Shortage framework was replaced by the Skills in Demand framework, the occupation lists were consolidated into the Core Skills Occupation List, the work experience requirement was reduced from two years to one, and the old Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold was renamed the Core Skills Income Threshold for this programme.
This matters when you are researching. A large amount of the advice available online still describes the pre-2024 rules, including the two year experience requirement and the old occupation lists. Anything written before December 2024 about an Australia work visa from India should be treated as out of date unless it has been revised.
The three streams
The subclass 482 splits into three streams. Which one applies is decided by the guaranteed annual earnings attached to the role, not by how senior the candidate is or how qualified they feel
| Stream | Salary test from 1 July 2026 | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist Skills | AUD 146,576 and above | Senior or technically advanced roles, with priority processing |
| Core Skills | AUD 79,423 and above | The main stream, for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List |
| Essential Skills | Set by labour agreement | Lower paid roles in defined sectors, accessed through labour agreements |
A highly experienced candidate whose package does not clear AUD 146,576 sits in the Core Skills stream regardless of their background. This is the point employers most often misunderstand.
The income thresholds, and a correction worth knowing
From 1 July 2026 the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423, up from AUD 76,515. The Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576. The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold, which continues to apply to the subclass 494 regional route, is also AUD 79,423.
A figure of AUD 79,499 has circulated widely on migration websites and in AI generated summaries. That number is a projection calculated from Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings data before the indexation was registered. The Department of Home Affairs publishes AUD 79,423, and the regulations registered on 30 June 2026 set the same amount. If a consultant or a website quotes AUD 79,499, they are working from the projection rather than the legislated figure.
The threshold is a floor, not the test in full. The role must also meet the annual market salary rate, which is the rate an Australian citizen or permanent resident doing the same work in the same location would be paid. Where the market rate exceeds the threshold, the market rate applies. Where the market rate falls below the threshold, the nomination cannot be lodged at all.
Thresholds are tested at the date the nomination is lodged. A contract signed earlier at a lower figure needs a written variation before lodgement.
What the employer has to do
- Sponsorship. The employer applies to become an approved Standard Business Sponsor. Without this, no nomination can be made regardless of how suitable the candidate is.
- Nomination. The employer nominates the specific position, demonstrating that the occupation is eligible, the salary clears both tests, and the role is genuine.
- Visa application. The candidate applies, providing skills, English, health and character evidence.
A candidate cannot initiate any of this alone. This is the structural difference between an Australia work visa and permanent residence through the points test, and it is why the search for an employer is the real work rather than a preliminary to it.
What the candidate has to provide
At least one year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field, within the last five years. Reduced from two years under the previous framework.
English at the level required for the stream. Requirements differ between streams, and exemptions apply in limited circumstances.
A skills assessment, where required for your occupation and passport country. Not universal, but check rather than assume.
Registration or licensing where the occupation is regulated in the relevant state.
Health examinations, police clearance certificates and properly certified supporting documents.
Finding a sponsor from India
This is the part no consultancy can do on your behalf, and any firm offering to supply a sponsored job offer should be avoided. Selling a nomination or a job offer is unlawful in Australia and exposes the candidate to visa cancellation as well as the loss of whatever was paid. The warning signs are worth knowing in detail, and our guide to overseas recruitment claims and how to read them sets them out.
What does work is narrower and slower. Target employers who already hold Standard Business Sponsor approval, because those firms have been through the process and know what it involves. Apply to roles that sit clearly on the Core Skills Occupation List at salaries above the threshold, since an employer cannot sponsor a role that fails the salary test however much they want to hire you. Present Australian format documentation, and be explicit that you require sponsorship rather than leaving it to be discovered at offer stage.
From temporary to permanent
The subclass 482 is temporary, but it is the most used pathway into permanent residence for candidates whose points are not competitive. After a qualifying period with the sponsoring employer, the employer can nominate you for the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme through the Temporary Residence Transition stream
The subclass 186 nomination is assessed as a new nomination against the threshold on the day it is lodged. Someone earning AUD 78,000 who cleared the 2025-26 floor needs AUD 79,423 before the employer can lodge in 2026-27. With 58,040 employer sponsored places allocated for 2026-27, the largest of any skilled category, this route carries more processing capacity than it has in years. If you are unclear where a temporary permit ends and permanent residence begins, our explainer on how the four routes differ is the place to start.
How Meeras Resource supports Australia work visa applications from India
We assess whether your occupation and likely salary band can actually support a nomination before you invest in the process, prepare the documentation the employer and the Department will require, and support the candidate side of the application through to lodgement. We do not source employers, sell job offers or arrange sponsorship, and we advise clients against any firm that offers to.
We provide consultancy, documentation and preparation support. Sponsorship, nomination and visa decisions rest with the employer and the Department of Home Affairs. Our Australia page covers the destination in more detail, and you can reach our Nehru Place office through the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for an Australia work visa from India without a job offer?
No. The subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa requires an approved employer to sponsor and nominate you. If you want a route that does not require an offer, the points tested permanent visas, subclass 189, 190 and 491, select on profile instead.
What is the minimum salary for an Australia work visa in 2026-27?
For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576. The role must also meet the annual market salary rate, and whichever figure is higher applies.
Why do some websites say the threshold is AUD 79,499?
That figure was a projection calculated from Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings data before the indexation was formally registered. The Department of Home Affairs publishes AUD 79,423, and the regulations registered on 30 June 2026 set the same figure.
How much work experience do I need?
At least one year in the nominated occupation or a closely related field, within the last five years. This was reduced from two years when the Skills in Demand framework commenced in December 2024.
Does the subclass 482 lead to permanent residence?
It can. After a qualifying period with the sponsoring employer, the employer may nominate you for the subclass 186 through the Temporary Residence Transition stream. The subclass 186 nomination is tested afresh against the income threshold applying on the day it is lodged.
About Meeras Resource
Meeras Resource Pvt. Ltd. is a career and immigration consultancy established in 2022 and based at 913, 9th Floor, Hemkunt Chambers, 89 Nehru Place, New Delhi 110019. We advise individuals on overseas study, work and migration routes, and we support them through eligibility assessment, documentation, application preparation and interview preparation. Our guidance is grounded in the published rules of the issuing authorities, and we tell clients what those rules mean for their specific profile, including when a route is not open to them.
