Australia is updating skilled migration in 2024–2025. The centrepiece is the Skills in Demand visa. It replaces most uses of the old TSS 482 and introduces clearer streams, faster switching, and stronger salary rules. If you are applying from Asia, you need to know two things first. Which stream fits your job. What salary and English settings apply in 2025.

Skills in Demand Visa

The Skills in Demand visa sits under subclass 482, with three streams: Specialist Skills, Core Skills, and a labour-agreement route for essential roles. It lets Australian employers sponsor overseas talent when they cannot find suitably skilled local workers. Validity can be up to four years, with travel allowed and a pathway to permanent residence through employer programs if criteria are met. 

How the streams differ in practice. Specialist Skills targets highly paid roles. Core Skills covers occupations on a new Core Skills Occupations List that Jobs and Skills Australia is building with broad consultation. Labour agreements continue for sectors with tailored settings. Expect stream-specific occupation and earnings rules at nomination.

What you should prepare. A matching occupation, skills evidence, and a sponsor ready to meet nomination rules. If you held information for the former TSS, you still need to recheck the new stream rules before lodging. Home Affairs has dedicated pages per stream with current forms, fees, and conditions.

Employer Sponsorship: Salary & Conditions in 2025

Salaries must pass two tests. First, the job’s market salary rate. Second, the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold. For nominations lodged between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026, the TSMIT is AUD 76,515. Applications lodged before that date were assessed against the prior threshold of AUD 73,150. You must meet whichever applies at the time of nomination.

This matters for offers near the floor. If your market rate is lower than TSMIT, the nomination will fail. If your market rate is higher than TSMIT, the higher figure applies. Sponsors also need to show equivalent Australians would receive at least the same pay and conditions. Keep contracts, position descriptions, and payroll benchmarks ready for decision makers.

Linked settings you should watch in 2025. English test acceptance rules were refreshed on 7 August 2025. Check which tests and score mappings count for your visa type before you book or rely on old results. Student and graduate pathways also changed in 2024–2025 and can affect your long-term plan into employer sponsorship.

If you want, I can expand the next sections with a country-specific angle for Bangladesh, India, the Philippines, or Vietnam, including typical occupations, sample timelines, and document checklists.

Employer Sponsorship: Salary & Conditions in 2025

Salaries must clear two tests. First, the market salary for the role. Second, the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold. For nominations lodged from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, the TSMIT is AUD 76,515. Nominations lodged earlier were assessed against AUD 73,150. The higher market rate or TSMIT must be paid.

Sponsors must also prove equivalent Australians receive at least the same pay and conditions. Keep position descriptions, contracts, and payroll benchmarking ready. This is checked at nomination.

The Skills in Demand visa uses three pathways under subclass 482. Specialist Skills targets higher earners. Core Skills relies on a government list developed by Jobs and Skills Australia. Labour agreements continue for tailored sector needs. Check stream-specific requirements before you lodge.

Student Visa Updates (Subclass 500)

The Genuine Student requirement applies to new student visa applications. It replaced the old GTE test. You must show study is your primary purpose and that your plan makes sense. This setting applies to applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024.

English rules were refreshed on 7 August 2025. Home Affairs now recognises an expanded set of approved tests. Check which tests and score rules apply to your visa before you book. Old test results may still be valid within each visa’s time limits.

Processing can be prioritised using risk and provider signals. Home Affairs sets university-level thresholds that influence priority for Student 500. If a provider has reached its threshold, applications may move from Priority 1 to Priority 2.

Permanent Migration Program 2025-26

The government kept the permanent migration program at 185,000 places for 2025-26. The Skill stream holds the majority share. This mirrors the 2024-25 settings.

Planning levels and splits by category are published by Home Affairs. Review the latest composition before choosing a pathway. State nomination policies also matter for timing.

Processing Environment & Policy Signals

Expect stricter value tests across temporary and student pathways. GS statements must be consistent with course choice and post-study plan. English testing settings changed in August 2025 and now list nine approved tests. Plan your test booking around these rules.

Media and industry briefings point to pressure on processing times for the revamped Skills in Demand settings. Targets exist, yet some streams report longer real timelines. Build buffers into job start dates and keep documents decision-ready.

Permanent program stability signals policy continuity. The cap stays at 185,000 for 2025–26. That steadies employer planning but does not control temporary flows. Watch Home Affairs updates for any mid-year adjustments.

If you want, I can add a country-specific sidebar for Bangladesh, India, or the Philippines with typical occupations, English scores, and a sample 90-day prep timeline.

What This Means for Asian Applicants

If you apply from Asia, expect tighter checks and clearer rules. Student visas now use the Genuine Student test. It replaced GTE for applications lodged on and after 23 March 2024. Your study plan must look real, your finances must match, and your post-study plan must make sense.

English rules changed on 7 August 2025. Home Affairs lists the approved tests and the score levels for each visa type. Old results can still count within each visa’s validity window. Plan your test booking around the new list.

For work routes, the Skills in Demand visa is now the anchor. It runs under three pathways and ties nominations to occupation lists and income thresholds. Most applicants will fall under Core Skills with a published occupation list and a salary floor aligned to annual indexation. Higher paid roles sit in Specialist Skills with a higher income bar.

Salaries must clear the market rate and the indexed threshold set each 1 July. For the 2025-26 year, the threshold underpinning Core Skills nominations is AUD 76,515. Specialist Skills has a higher setting. Employers must prove pay and conditions match Australians in similar roles. This affects entry-level offers and some regional roles.

Graduates from Asian countries should note the Temporary Graduate 485 tightening. The usual age cap is 35 and durations are shorter than past years. If your long-term plan was study then post-study work then sponsorship, recheck timing and stream.

Choosing Your Pathway in 2025

Start with your goal. If you have a sponsor and a matchable occupation, aim for Skills in Demand. Pick the stream your role and salary can support. Confirm the occupation is on the current list. Confirm your pay clears the relevant income threshold and market rate.

If you do not have a sponsor yet but you plan to study, design a Student 500 plan that passes the GS test. Show genuine study intent, clear course relevance, and credible funds. Check the new English test list before booking. Your provider’s risk settings can also affect priority.

If you are a recent graduate, verify your 485 eligibility first. Confirm age, stream, and timing. Then pursue employer sponsorship while your 485 is valid. Tight timelines mean you should keep documents decision-ready and target employers who understand the new streams. 

A simple rule helps.

• Direct to work if you already meet occupation and salary rules with an employer.
• Study to work if you need time to reach English, skills, or experience. Design the study path to a realistic occupation on the Core Skills list. Keep the sponsorship threshold in view from the start.

Whichever route you choose, align three things early: the occupation code you will use, the English level your visa needs, and the salary evidence your sponsor can prove. Policies are stable in outline, but lists and thresholds update during the year. Recheck official pages before you lodge. 

Conclusion

Australia’s settings for 2025 are clearer and stricter. The Skills in Demand visa is now the main work route. It sits across defined streams with occupation and earnings rules you must meet. Learn your stream. Match your occupation. Confirm salary evidence before you lodge.

Salary floors matter more this year. Nominations from 1 July 2025 must meet the AUD 76,515 TSMIT and the market salary rate. Offers close to the floor will struggle unless the market data supports them. Build your case with contracts, position descriptions, and benchmarks.

Students face the Genuine Student test. It applies to applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024. English rules changed on 7 August 2025 with an updated list of approved tests. Check both settings before you pay fees or book exams.

The permanent migration program stays at 185,000 places for 2025–26. That gives stability for planning, but it does not control temporary flows or processing speed. Watch official updates and allow buffer time. Recent reporting notes pressure and delays in parts of the new skills system.

Your path is simple to state, but it takes discipline. Pick the right visa route. Prove salary and skills. Pass the GS and English settings. Recheck each rule on the official pages just before you lodge. Policies are stable in outline, yet lists and thresholds update during the year.

If you want, I can add a one-page checklist and a country note for Bangladesh, India, the Philippines, or Vietnam with common occupations, score targets, and a 90-day prep plan.