Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has announced two Budget measures in her address to the National Press Club on 27th April 2023.
1. Increasing the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) from $53,900 to $70,000 effective 1 July 2023.
2. All temporary skilled workers will have a pathway to permanent residency by 31 December 2023.
All Temporary Skilled Shortage (TSS) visas granted after 1 July 2023 will have a minimum remuneration requirement of $70,000. Existing TSS visa holders on the current TSMIT of $53,900 will remain on that rate until their visa expires.
During the Q&A following the speech the minister also indicated the government’s desire to move away from the “constrictions of skills lists”, so I think we can expect to see changes in that space also.
These changes follow the Review of the Migration Program by Dr Martin Parkinson AC PSM, Professor Joanna Howe and Mr John Azarias (chair of the panel for the National Agricultural Workforce Strategy and both the 2014 and 2016 TSMIT reviews), presented to the Government on 21 March 2023.
A transcript of the minister’s address is available here.
