Australia has raised the minimum salary requirement for Nigerians and other foreign workers seeking employer-sponsored visas, setting a new benchmark of AUD 76,515 (about N72.5 million) for most skilled migration categories.

The new threshold, announced by the Department of Home Affairs, will apply to visa applications lodged between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, as part of efforts to align migrant wages with those earned by local workers.

The revised pay requirement will affect several major visa pathways, including the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494), Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187), Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), and Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).

At the higher end, highly specialised professionals will now be required to earn at least AUD 141,210 (about $96,454) under the Specialist Skills Income Threshold, significantly raising the bar for top-tier foreign talent.

The updated figures are tied to Australia’s annual wage indexation policy, which links migration salary requirements to movements in Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings. Authorities say the system is designed to ensure foreign workers are not underpaid compared to Australian employees and to maintain fairness in the labour market.

Under the new framework, the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold remains aligned with the Core Skills Income Threshold at AUD 76,515 for the 2025–2026 migration cycle, representing the minimum salary employers must offer when sponsoring foreign workers under eligible visa streams. The government added that these thresholds will continue to be reviewed annually, with the next adjustment expected from July 1, 2026.

For Nigerians and other foreign professionals looking to work in Australia, the changes introduce stricter entry conditions, particularly for mid-level roles, as salary offers must now meet the updated benchmark. However, the policy is also expected to improve earning potential and provide greater financial stability for successful applicants.

Employers will face tighter compliance requirements, as they must prove that salaries offered to foreign workers meet both the new thresholds and prevailing market rates. This is aimed at preventing wage suppression and ensuring fair competition between local and migrant workers.

Sectors such as hospitality, retail, and parts of healthcare are expected to feel the impact, as businesses adjust pay structures to meet the new standards. Analysts say the policy could also drive wage increases in industries that rely heavily on migrant labour.

The move comes amid tightening migration quotas and increasing pressure on Australia’s labour market. Recent figures show the country allocated 20,350 visa places for its 2025–2026 skilled migration programme across key state-nominated pathways, reflecting a more constrained intake compared to previous years.

Despite the stricter rules, Australia continues to face a significant skills gap, with projections indicating a shortage of up to 250,000 workers in finance, technology, and business roles by 2030. Workforce estimates suggest the country will need about 3.5 million professionals in these sectors by the end of the decade, underscoring ongoing demand for skilled migrants. (Vanguard)

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