Is there an 858 visa salary requirement?
No, there is no 858 visa salary requirement: Part 858 of the Migration Regulations 1994 contains no income criterion, and Direction 120 treats earnings at or above the Fair Work high income threshold as one indicator, not a checklist item. Income is not a separate test of National Innovation visa eligibility.
Direction 120 s 9(3)(e) covers current earnings or a written Australian employer offer at or above the threshold. Home Affairs’ 858 page gives earnings or an offer in your area as evidence examples. Form 1000, questions 15–20, asks the nominator about current salary, an Australian job offer and expected salary.
The Fair Work high income threshold and the 858 income indicator
The Fair Work high income threshold is $190,100 from 1 July 2026, and the 858 income indicator in Direction 120 s 9(3)(e) uses that figure through s 12 of the Fair Work Act 2009.
| Financial year | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026–27 | $190,100 | Fair Work Commission “High income threshold” page, updated 1 July 2026. |
| 2025–26 | $183,100 | Fair Work Commission “High income threshold” page. |
| 2024–25 | $175,000 | Fair Work Commission Bulletin, 4 July 2024. |
| 2023–24 | Not given on the Department’s GTI page; it linked to Fair Work. | Department page captured 4 November 2024. |
| 2022–23 | $162,000 | As shown on the Department’s Global Talent program page, updated 1 July 2022. |
| 2021–22 | $158,500 | As shown on the Department’s Global Talent program page, updated 29 July 2021. |
| 2020–21 | $153,600 | As shown on the Department’s Global Talent program page, updated 4 September 2020. |
| 2019–20 | $148,700 | As shown on the Department’s Global Talent program page, updated 7 November 2019. |
The Fair Work Commission’s “High income threshold” page explains its unfair-dismissal role. Under s 382 of the Fair Work Act 2009, employees outside an award or enterprise agreement need earnings below the threshold and the minimum employment period for protection. The threshold is adjusted each 1 July.
What earnings count toward the 858 income indicator?
The earnings that count toward the 858 income indicator are earnings in your area of achievement, measured the Fair Work way: wages count, while commissions, incentive payments, bonuses, non-guaranteed overtime, reimbursements and compulsory super do not, according to Home Affairs’ EOI form and the Fair Work Commission’s “High income threshold” page.
- Current earnings or an Australian offer: Direction 120 accepts current earnings, or a written offer from an Australian employer, at or above the threshold.
- Your area only: Home Affairs’ EOI form and 858 page exclude income from work outside your area of achievement.
- Other included amounts: the Department’s program page, captured 4 November 2024, explained that Fair Work earnings also include amounts applied for the employee and the agreed value of non-monetary benefits.
- Australian dollars and evidence: Home Affairs’ EOI form asks for earnings in Australian dollars and requires evidence if invited.
The supplied government guidance does not explain how self-employed or business income is treated for this indicator.
Why older pages quote an 858 income threshold
Older pages quote an 858 income threshold because the Global Talent program, which ran from 2019 until 6 December 2024, used the Fair Work high income threshold to decide priority processing and invitations under Direction 85 and the Department’s EOI guidance.
- 4 November 2019: the launch release described applicants likely to earn more than $149,000 annually in Australia as eligible for the program.
- From 4 November 2019: Direction 85 gave highest priority to target-sector applications with an Australian offer, current earnings or likely earnings at or above the threshold.
- 2021–22: Department guidance checked earning ability; its May 2022 procedures invited priority-sector candidates able to earn the threshold unless clearly ineligible.
- 2024: the Department page captured 4 November 2024 required high skill in a defined sector and current or likely earnings at or above the threshold for the program’s EOI test.
- Today: the threshold was a priority marker, not a Part 858 criterion. Since 25 July 2026, Direction 120 has listed earnings as one indicator among several.
Neighbouring salary figures concern different routes: Home Affairs’ Global Talent Employer Sponsored page describes a 482 labour-agreement arrangement, with a startup-stream floor of $80,000; its “Salary requirements” page gives a separate 482 Specialist Skills Income Threshold of $146,576 from 1 July 2026. Neither is an 858 salary requirement.
The EOI earnings bands for the 858
The EOI earnings bands for the 858 are nine bands in Australian dollars, from $0–49,999 up to $1 million or more, and Home Affairs’ EOI form requires evidence of the band selected if you are invited.
Count only income related to your area of achievement. The earnings question sits with the other fields of the 858 EOI form, which Home Affairs considers when assessing EOIs for invitation in Direction 120 priority order. Its EOI submission page says information and documents cannot be added after submission.
Other ways to show the 858 criterion without a high income
Other ways to show the 858 criterion without a high income are the remaining Direction 120 indicators: a top-of-field international award, a national research grant, a PhD with high influence, a recent international keynote and recognised intellectual property.
- International awards: Direction 120 Schedule A awards support Priority 1: top-of-field awards, the highest priority for exceptional applicants who are global experts and recipients of those awards.
- Research and influence: Direction 120 includes research grants, influential PhDs, keynotes and patents. Its h-index example of 14 for an early-career researcher illustrates influence relative to career stage, not a universal cutoff.
- Government-agency nominees: Direction 120 adds sports and arts awards, innovative business activity, commercialisation and exceptional community service.
- Wider evidence: Home Affairs’ 858 page includes supporting statements, advisory boards and international media coverage among examples of 858 visa evidence of exceptional achievement.
The Home Affairs National Innovation visa priorities page explains the indicators. Direction 120 s 9(5) requires assessment on balance, including unfavourable information—not a count of favourable items.
Frequently asked questions
What is the salary threshold for a Global Talent visa in Australia?
None applies now. The Global Talent visa became the National Innovation visa (subclass 858) on 6 December 2024 under the Migration Amendment (National Innovation Visa) Regulations 2024. Direction 120 uses the Fair Work threshold—$190,100 from 1 July 2026—as an indicator only.
Can I get the 858 if I earn less than $190,100?
Yes, earning less is not a bar, but it does not establish eligibility. Direction 120’s other indicators and Home Affairs’ evidence examples remain relevant; the assessment is on balance.
Do bonuses or commissions count?
No. The Fair Work Commission’s earnings measure excludes commissions, incentive payments, bonuses, non-guaranteed overtime, reimbursements and compulsory super.
Does income from a second job outside my field count?
No. Home Affairs’ 858 page and EOI form count only income from work in your area of achievement.
Is the Global Talent visa in Australia permanent residency?
The visa is now the National Innovation visa (subclass 858). Home Affairs’ 858 page describes it as permanent: you become a permanent resident on the day of grant.
For your 858 visa, focus on the achievement record rather than a salary figure alone. Ask an Australian migration lawyer to identify the Direction 120 indicators your record supports and check that the income band entered in the EOI can be evidenced in your field.