TSMIT Increase – Minimum Salary For Visa Holders And PR Pathways | Employer-Sponsored Visa Changes

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TSMIT Increase – Minimum Salary For Visa Holders And PR Pathways | Employer-Sponsored Visa Changes

Following Home Affairs Minister, Clare O’Neil’s announcements on changes to the skilled migration program a few weeks ago, here’s how some of the changes will be implemented.

Written by Sheila Woods (MARN: 0533879) of Interstaff 21 March, 2023

The minimum salary requirements known as the TSMIT (Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold) for Employer-Sponsored Visa holders will increase to $70,000 per annum from 1 July 2023. This will affect all nominations lodged on or after that date, but not those lodged beforehand.
A pathway to Permanent Residence (PR) through the Subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transitional (TRT) Stream Visa will be available to all Subclass 482 TSS Visa Holders by the end of 2023. This will only require two years of living and working in Australia with their employer rather than three years.
Subclass 482 TSS Visa Holders in the Short Term Stream will no longer be limited to a maximum of two visas onshore.

Read on to understand what this means for employers and skilled visa holders/applicants.

Consider Minimum Salary (TSMIT) Impacts for Employees

Businesses will need to assess if the increase in the TSMIT from $53,900 to $70,000 per annum will affect any employer-sponsored visa holders they plan to engage in coming months.

The change will not affect existing visa holders, however workers whose visas are expiring and require a renewal after 1 July 2023 will need to meet the new TSMIT as part of their new nomination application.

Consider PR for 482 Visa Short Term Stream Visa Holders

Since the government split the employer-sponsored visa program into two streams – the Short Term and Long Term stream in 2018, Subclass 482 TSS Visa holders on the Short Term list have had limited pathways to PR.

Some had been eligible for a pathway by applying for the 494 Regional Provisional Visa and then the 191 Visa, but this required them to live and work in a regional area for three years.

Businesses with employees on the Subclass 482 Short Term stream should now consider PR options through the 186 TRT Visa as it is a shorter pathway and does not require a skills assessment.

Applicants will need to continue to work in the occupation nominated for their 482 TSS visa(s) and meet all other requirements for the 186 TRT Visa.

Established in 1988, Interstaff has over 35 years of Australian visa and migration experience and provides strategic immigration advice to businesses and individuals Australia-wide and internationally. MARN: 0533879.

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.