Category : MIGRATION LAW

Migration Regulations 1994 – Specification of Income Threshold and Annual Earnings 2015 specifies the temporary skilled migration income threshold and annual earnings in relation to the Subclass 457 (Temporary Work (Skilled)) Visa programme.
It specifies that the annual earnings threshold for the purposes of subregulation 2.72(10AB) and paragraph 2.79(1A)(b) is AUD 180,000.

This Instrument retains the temporary skilled migration income threshold, specified in paragraph 2.72(10)(cc) under the previous Instrument, at AUD 53,900.
This legislative instrument commenced on 18 April 2015.

Overview of the Legislative Instrument

This legislative instrument will decrease the salary level exemption that requires approved sponsors in the 457 programme to demonstrate that the nominated salary of a visa holder is the market rate for that occupation. The exemption will be amended from AUD250,000 to AUD180,000, which will have the effect of meaning that any application for nomination of an overseas worker with a salary above AUD180,000 will not have to provide market salary rate evidence.

The purpose of this amendment is to remove red-tape for businesses that are employing highly paid and highly skilled overseas employees, in positions which cannot be filled by the local labour force.