Australia visa routes

• Core Skills stream: occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List and the nomination must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold.
• Core Skills Income Threshold: AUD 79,423 for nominations lodged 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 (AUD 76,515 for 2025-26).
• Specialist Skills stream: Specialist Skills Income Threshold of AUD 146,576 for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 (AUD 141,210 for 2025-26).
• The employer must also pay at least the annual market salary rate — the higher of that rate and the income threshold applies.
• Nomination by an approved sponsor, relevant skills, and the relevant English language requirement.
• Visa application charge from AUD 4,015; stay of up to 4 years. Thresholds are indexed every 1 July.

How the degree matters

The Core Skills stream is gated by the Core Skills Occupation List under ANZSCO 2022; the Specialist Skills stream drops the occupation list in favour of a high salary.

Sources: Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Home Affairs · Salary requirements to nominate a worker (Home Affairs)

• Your occupation must be on the relevant skilled occupation list (the points-tested visas use the MLTSSL under ANZSCO 2013, not the CSOL).
• A suitable skills assessment from the designated assessing authority for your occupation.
• You must submit an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect and be invited to apply.
• You must satisfy the points test; in practice invitation scores run well above the 65-point pass mark.
• Visa application charge from AUD 6,135.
• Since 19 September 2026, processing is prioritised under Ministerial Direction 122 (which replaced Direction 119), favouring construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, fishing and resources sectors.

How the degree matters

Your nominated occupation must appear on the MLTSSL and you must pass a skills assessment for it, which for most professional occupations requires a relevant degree. Qualifications also score points.

Sources: Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) Points-tested stream, Home Affairs · Skilled occupation list (Home Affairs) · Skilled visa processing priorities (Home Affairs)

• Requires nomination by a state or territory government (or, for 491, an eligible relative in a designated regional area).
• Occupation must be on the relevant skilled occupation list and you need a suitable skills assessment.
• You must be invited via SkillSelect and satisfy the points test; nomination adds points to your score.
• State nomination criteria differ by state and change often — check the individual state's own list.
• Subclass 491 is provisional for 5 years and requires you to live and work in a designated regional area.

How the degree matters

Same skills-assessment and occupation-list logic as subclass 189, but states nominate against their own shortage priorities, which can favour specific degrees.

Sources: Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190), Home Affairs · Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491), Home Affairs

• Post-Higher Education Work stream: you must have been awarded an eligible degree-level (or higher) qualification, regardless of field of study.
• The degree must have been awarded in the 6 months immediately before you apply, and you must meet the study requirement.
• Age limit: 35 or under when you apply (under 50 if using a Masters by research or PhD, or holding a Hong Kong or BNO passport).
• You must be in Australia when you apply and have held a Student visa in the last 6 months.
• Stay is usually between 2 and 3 years depending on your qualification.
• English: exempt only if you hold a UK, USA, Canadian, New Zealand or Irish passport — otherwise you must sit an approved test.

How the degree matters

The Post-Higher Education Work stream is open regardless of field of study for degree-level awards. The Post-Vocational stream requires a qualification tied to a listed occupation.

Sources: Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Home Affairs · 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream eligibility (Home Affairs)

• Subclass 417 partners include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Taiwan and the UK.
• Subclass 462 partners include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, USA and Vietnam.
• South Africa appears on neither the 417 nor the 462 eligible-passport list.
• Both subclasses are for ages 18-30 (417 extends to 35 for some countries) and give 12 months' stay.
• Other routes open to South Africans include study followed by a Temporary Graduate (485) visa, employer-sponsored visas and the points-tested skilled visas.

How the degree matters

Not applicable — the program is nationality- and age-based.

Sources: Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) eligibility, Home Affairs · Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) eligibility, Home Affairs · Working Holiday Maker program (Home Affairs)

• Nomination by an approved Australian employer for a permanent skilled position.
• Nominations lodged on or after 7 December 2024 must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold: AUD 79,423 for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
• The employer must also pay at least the annual market salary rate for the role.
• The Temporary Residence Transition stream has no occupation list — eligibility is based on the occupation in your most recent temporary skilled visa.
• The Direct Entry stream does require an eligible occupation and a skills assessment.

How the degree matters

Direct Entry requires an occupation on the skilled list plus a skills assessment; Temporary Residence Transition carries over the occupation from your 482 visa.

Sources: Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), Home Affairs · Salary requirements to nominate a worker (Home Affairs)