Fair Work High Income Threshold (FWHIT): Current and Past Amounts

The Fair Work high income threshold (FWHIT) is a salary figure set under the Fair Work Act and indexed every 1 July. It matters in workplace law, and in migration it is the figure used for the 186 TRT high income age exemption. We update this page each year so you can always find the current and past amounts in one place.

Current and past amounts

Period	High income threshold
1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027	190,100 dollars
1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026	183,100 dollars
1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025	175,000 dollars
1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024	167,500 dollars
1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023	162,000 dollars
1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022	158,500 dollars
1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021	153,600 dollars
1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020	148,700 dollars
1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019	145,400 dollars

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What counts as earnings

Not everything in a pay packet counts. Under the Fair Work Act, earnings for the high income threshold include:

• wages, including allowances;
• amounts salary sacrificed or paid on your behalf or at your direction;
• the agreed money value of non-monetary benefits, such as a private use car.

They do not include employer superannuation contributions, reimbursements, or payments that cannot be worked out in advance, such as commissions, incentive bonuses and overtime that is not guaranteed.

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How it is used in migration

For the TRT stream of the 186 visa, an applicant aged 45 or over can be exempt from the age limit if, for at least 2 of the 3 years before applying, they worked for their nominator in the nominated occupation on a 457 or 482 visa and earned at least the FWHIT. Each year is counted back from the application date and tested against the threshold in force at the end of that year, which is why the past amounts above still matter. See the high income age exemption and our 186 visa exemptions page.

Do not confuse the FWHIT with the Core Skills Income Threshold, which is the minimum salary for most 482 and 186 nominations. See income thresholds.

The FWHIT has also been used as a salary benchmark for Australia’s talent visas. The former Global Talent visa program looked for candidates able to attract a salary at or above the FWHIT, and earnings at this level are still commonly relied on as evidence of prominence for the National Innovation visa.

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How it is used in workplace law

• an employee earning above the threshold, who is not covered by an award or enterprise agreement, generally cannot make an unfair dismissal claim;
• if an award covers the employee, the employer can give a written guarantee of annual earnings above the threshold, and the award then does not apply to them while the guarantee is in place.

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What you should do now

• Check the right year: for a 186 age exemption, compare each year’s earnings with the threshold in force at the end of that year.
• Leave out bonuses: only count base salary and guaranteed amounts, not commissions or non-guaranteed overtime.
• Keep payslips: hold on to payslips and PAYG summaries for every year you may rely on.
• Ask us: if you are close to the threshold, get advice before you lodge.