27/08/2026
Employer-sponsored work visas are crucial for many Australian businesses right now.
But here's a mistake that trips up a lot of employers: meeting the minimum 482 visa salary threshold does NOT automatically mean you've met the salary requirement.
There's a second, less talked-about test — the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR).
Here's how it works 👇
Two thresholds apply, and you have to clear whichever is HIGHER:
1️⃣ The government's minimum — currently ~$79,423 for Core Skills roles, ~$146,576 for Specialist Skills roles (rising every July)
2️⃣ The actual market rate — what an Australian worker would genuinely earn for that same job, at that same company, in that same location
Example: if the government minimum is $79,423 but the market rate for that role in that city is $95,000 — you have to pay $95,000. The government figure is a floor, not a target.
How do you prove the market rate?
→ An existing Australian employee in the same role (best evidence)
→ Recent job ads for similar positions
→ Industry salary data or a relevant award/enterprise agreement
Guesswork doesn't cut it. Neither does overseas salary data.
3 things employers often miss:
✔️ Only guaranteed base salary counts — cars, housing, and shaky bonuses don't help you meet the threshold
✔️ It's not a set-and-forget check — if market pay rises after the visa is granted, you're expected to keep up
✔️ Scrutiny varies by industry — trades, healthcare and hospitality get checked against awards; office roles get compared to job ads and salary surveys
Getting this wrong isn't just a paperwork issue — it can mean a refused nomination or a compliance headache down the track.
If you're planning to sponsor talent, get the salary benchmarking right before you lodge.
