What is the minimum income threshold for a 491/191 visa ?

Minister for Home Affairs has announced that as of 1 July 2023, the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) will be increasing from $53,900 to $70,000 per annum.

There are a few important points to be noted:

Impact on Subclass 482

Employers looking to sponsor overseas workers on a 482 visa will need to offer an annual salary of at least $70,000 plus superannuation to overseas workers they wish to employ from 1 July 2023. TSMIT had not been updated for more than 10 years (set at $53,900) and the decision to raise the TSMIT was undertaken to align TSMIT with the income level of what an average Australian worker is drawing in the current market.

Impact on Subclass 491/191

While the 491/191 applicants are fearing that the minimum income level they will need to now achieve will be $70,000 annually in order to become eligible for a 191 visa, the announcement was in no way directed at the 491 applicants.

No Legislative Instrument : Currently, no legislative instrument exists that bind the $53,900 number to the income threshold required for 491/191 visa. The $53,900 TSMIT threshold number has been used operationally for 491/191 visa threshold but is not a legislatively approved/prescribed instrument for this purpose.

It is expected that a new legislative instrument will be introduced in coming months, clearly specifying an income threshold level for 491/191 visa. It is likely that the prescribed number will be higher than $53,900, but not as high as $70,000. The government is expected to take into account the difficulty of earning a relatively high income of $70,000 in many regional areas of Australia.

🚨 Update as at 31 Aug 2023: There is now no minimum income applicable for a 491/191 visa. You are required to show 3 years residency in a Designated Regional Area (DRA) on 491 visa + Income tax returns for 3 years, to be able to apply for a 191 permanent visa.