Australia Migration Changes From 1 July 2026: Full Overview
- 11 hours ago
- 7 min read
Last updated: 3 July 2026
From 1 July 2026, Australia's migration system changed on multiple fronts at once. The Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (F2026L00874) raised visa application fees across nearly every category and codified a new Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold of $79,423.
Alongside this, separate instruments lifted the Core Skills and Specialist Skills Income Thresholds for 482 and 186 nominations, raised the Fair Work High Income Threshold to $190,100, extended the working holiday age limit to 35 for four more countries, and started a new 2026–27 permanent migration program year.
None of these changes are related to each other legally, they simply commenced on the same date because 1 July marks the start of Australia's migration and financial year.
If you're applying for or sponsoring a visa this month, here's what actually moved, and where to go for the exact numbers that apply to you.
Australia Migration Changes From 1 July 2026 Overview List
Visa application fees increased across skilled, partner, student, working holiday, visitor, and parent visas — partner visa fees rose to $11,710, student visa (500) to $2,500
TSMIT (Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold) codified into the Migration Regulations at $79,423, up from a Ministerial instrument previously
CSIT and SSIT (Core Skills and Specialist Skills Income Thresholds for 482/186 nominations) increased to $79,423 and $146,576
Fair Work High Income Threshold rose to $190,100 — relevant to the 186 Transition stream age exemption
Australian citizenship fees increased by roughly 2–3%
A new Pacific-regional country fee tier was formalised across student, working holiday, and several other visa categories
The 2026–27 permanent migration program started, holding at 185,000 places with a reshuffled internal split
Working holiday age limits extended from 30 to 35 for Cyprus, Finland, Germany, and South Korea passport holders on the subclass 417 visa
Where Do These Changes Come From?
Most of the fee and income threshold changes trace back to one instrument: the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026, registered 30 June 2026 and commencing 1 July 2026.
It amends the Migration Regulations 1994 and the Australian Citizenship Regulation 2016 under the authority of the Migration Act 1958 and the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.
But not everything that changed on 1 July sits in this one regulation. The working holiday age extension comes from a separate legislative instrument (LIN 26/048), and the permanent migration program reset is a Budget-driven planning announcement, not a regulation.
Treat 1 July as a calendar trigger for several unrelated processes, not one single reform.
How Much Did the Core Skills and Specialist Skills Income Thresholds Increase?
The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) — the minimum salary for subclass 482 Core Skills stream and subclass 186 nominations rose to $79,423 per year from 1 July 2026, up from $76,515.
The Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT), which applies to the higher-paid Specialist Skills stream of the 482 visa, rose to $146,576, up from $141,210. These thresholds are indexed annually and apply to nominations lodged on or after 1 July 2026, regardless of when the sponsorship process started.
If your employer is nominating you and the offered salary sits below the new threshold, the nomination won't meet the income requirement even if it met last year's figure. See our full breakdown in the Core Skills Income Threshold guide.
What Changed for the Fair Work High Income Threshold and 186 Age Exemption?
The Fair Work High Income Threshold (FWHIT) rose to $190,100 for the 2026–27 financial year, up from $183,100. This matters for subclass 186 Transition stream applicants over 45 — one of the main age exemption pathways requires earnings at or above the FWHIT for two of the last three years.
The FWHIT is set under the Fair Work Regulations 2009, not the migration regulations, and is indexed separately each 1 July. If you're relying on the high-income age exemption for a 186 application, check your earnings against the new threshold before you apply, not the figure that applied when you started planning.
How Much Did Visa Application Fees Increase From 1 July 2026?
Visa application charges rose across almost every visa category, partner visas now cost $11,710, student visa (500) applications $2,500, and skilled visas (189/190/491/494/186) between $6,135 and $6,140 for the primary applicant.
Working holiday, visitor, training, and parent visa fees also increased. The fee changes apply to any application lodged on or after 1 July 2026 — if you lodged before this date, the previous fee schedule applies regardless of when a decision is made. Because there are dozens of visa subclasses with different fee structures, we've put the complete fee table, including secondary applicant charges and every visa category, in a dedicated guide.
See Australia Visa Fee Increase From 1 July 2026: Complete Guide for the exact fee for your visa type.
Did Australian Citizenship Fees Increase?
Yes, but only marginally. Citizenship application fees rose by roughly 2–3% under Schedule 1 of the same regulations — for example, the standard adult conferral fee moved from $370 to $380, and the child citizenship fee from $150 to $160.
Concessional and nil-fee categories were not affected. The increase applies to citizenship applications made on or after 1 July 2026.
For the full citizenship fee table, see our visa and citizenship fee guide.
What Is the New Pacific-Regional Country Fee Tier?
From 1 July 2026, the regulations formally defined "Pacific-regional country" as a fixed list of 13 nations — Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia — and built discounted fees for passport holders from these countries into multiple visa categories, including student and working holiday visas. This isn't a temporary waiver.
It's now a permanent structural feature of the visa fee schedule, reflecting Australia's Pacific Engagement priorities. If you hold a passport from one of these countries, check the discounted rate for your specific visa in our fee guide before you pay the standard fee.
Did the Permanent Migration Program Change for 2026–27?
Yes — a new migration program year started on 1 July 2026, but the headline number didn't move. The 2026–27 permanent Migration Program stayed at 185,000 places, the same total as 2025–26.
What changed is the internal split: Employer Sponsored places rose substantially, Skilled Independent places increased, and Regional (subclass 491) places dropped sharply.
This reset is a Budget planning announcement, separate from the fee and threshold changes in F2026L00874. For the full category-by-category breakdown, see our 2026–27 Migration Program planning levels guide.
Did Working Holiday Visa Age Limits Change?
Yes, for four countries. From 1 July 2026, passport holders from Cyprus, Finland, Germany, and the Republic of Korea can apply for a subclass 417 Working Holiday visa up to age 35, up from the previous limit of 30. This brings these four countries in line with the existing 35-year-old group, which already included Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
The change comes from a separate legislative instrument (LIN 26/048), not the fee regulations, and reflects updated bilateral arrangements between Australia and each country. Age is assessed at the date you lodge — not the date you arrive — so applicants close to the cut-off should apply before their birthday rather than after.
Other 1 July 2026 Changes to Know About
A handful of smaller, employer-facing changes also took effect or shifted around 1 July 2026. The Goldfields Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA), originally due to transition into the WA DAMA on 1 July 2026, was extended by six months to 31 December 2026, giving Goldfields employers more time before the transition takes effect.
If you're sponsoring under a state or regional labour agreement, confirm which framework currently applies to your occupation before lodging.
Do These Changes Apply to My Application?
Generally, yes, if you lodge on or after 1 July 2026 — but the cut-off works differently depending on what changed. Fee and citizenship changes apply from the date you lodge. Income threshold changes apply from the date your employer lodges the nomination, not the date you started the sponsorship process.
Working holiday age changes apply from the date you lodge your application, assessed against your age on that date. If your application was already lodged before 1 July 2026, it's assessed under the settings that applied when you lodged, regardless of when a decision is made.
Frequently Asked Questions
What changed in Australian migration on 1 July 2026?
Visa application fees increased across most categories, the Core Skills and Specialist Skills Income Thresholds rose to $79,423 and $146,576, the Fair Work High Income Threshold rose to $190,100, citizenship fees increased marginally, a new Pacific-regional fee tier took effect, the 2026–27 permanent migration program started, and the working holiday age limit extended to 35 for four more countries.
Is TSMIT the same as CSIT?
No. TSMIT applies to subclass 494 and 187 nominations and was codified at $79,423 from 1 July 2026. CSIT applies to subclass 482 Core Skills and 186 nominations and separately increased to the same figure, $79,423, though the two thresholds are set under different mechanisms and could diverge in future years.
Do the new fees apply if I lodged my application before 1 July 2026?
No. If you lodged before 1 July 2026, the previous fee schedule applies regardless of when your application is decided. The new fees only apply to applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026.
Did the permanent migration program go up or down for 2026–27?
The total stayed at 185,000 places, unchanged from 2025–26. Employer Sponsored and Skilled Independent allocations increased, while Regional (subclass 491) allocations dropped significantly.
Which countries got the working holiday age extension to 35?
Cyprus, Finland, Germany, and the Republic of Korea, effective 1 July 2026. This adds to the existing group of countries with the 35-year age limit — Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
Need Help Understanding How These Changes Affect You?
With this many changes landing on the same date, it's easy to miss the one that actually applies to your situation. RACC's registered migration agents can confirm exactly which 1 July 2026 changes affect your visa, your nomination, or your citizenship application, and what to do before you lodge.
This article summarises changes commencing 1 July 2026 under the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (F2026L00874), the Migration (Arrangements for Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) Visa) Instrument 2026 (LIN 26/048), the Fair Work Regulations 2009, and the 2026–27 Federal Budget migration program announcement. This is general information only and does not constitute migration advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a registered migration agent.
