• Australia’s 2026–27 Permanent Migration Program set at 185,000 places, prioritising skilled and
onshore applicants to support long-term workforce needs. • Training visa (Subclass 407)
rules change from 11 March 2026 — sponsorship and nomination must be approved before
applying. • From 1 July 2026, salary thresholds are expected to increase for 482 and 186
skilled visas, with Core Skills Income Threshold rising to $79,499 and Specialist Stream Income
Threshold rising to $146,717. • Australian Visa Fees has increased from 1 July
2026
Important policy updates and legislative changes that may influence your Australian journey.
Migration Program
May 2026
Relationships recognised for Australian Partner visas
On 12 May 2026, the Australian Government announced that the 2026–27 permanent Migration Program (Migration Program) will be set at 185,000 places, with an approximate 70:30 split between the Skilled and Family Programs.
On 12 May 2026, the Australian Government announced that the 2026–27 permanent Migration Program (Migration Program) will be set at 185,000 places, with an approximate 70:30 split between the Skilled and Family Programs.
Parliament recently passed the Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Act 2026 which makes changes to the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 and the Migration Act 1958.
Changes to Training visa Subclass 407 application requirements
From 11 March 2026, in addition to the existing validity requirements, all new applicants for the Training (Subclass 407) visa must have an approved sponsorship and nomination before they can lodge a valid visa application.
Indexation of salary thresholds for Skills in Demand Subclass 482 visa and Employer Nomination Scheme Subclass 186 visa
Income thresholds are indexed annually to ensure fair remuneration for overseas skilled workers. Salary indexation changes apply from 1 July each year. If you lodge a sponsorship or nomination application on or after this date, you must meet the relevant income threshold for that year
Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa pre-application (visa ballot) process.
The Australian Government has put in place a visa pre-application (ballot) process for selected countries. This visa ballot process provides a fair, streamlined and transparent way to select applicants randomly from partner countries where demand exceeds the number of places available in a program year.