Visa salary thresholds
Minimum annual remuneration each government requires for sponsored, skilled, and residence-by-income routes. Every figure is the current primary-source threshold — the higher of the general floor or the occupation-specific going rate applies in most jurisdictions.
Reviewed 2026-04-20. Thresholds change without notice. Always confirm on the linked primary source before making employment decisions.
Skilled-work salary floor by country
The headline skilled-work route in each destination, lowest floor first. Routes differ in nature — a fixed sponsor floor, a prevailing-wage minimum, or a residence-qualifying income — so treat this as orientation, not a strict like-for-like ranking. The annual-equivalent USD is a rough cross-currency reference only; rely on the local-currency figure.
| Destination | Main skilled route | Salary floor | ≈ USD/yr | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | Tech Visa / HQA — indicative | 22,320 EURannual | $24,000 | 1 January 2024 |
| Ireland | Critical Skills Employment Permit — general floor | 40,904 EURannual | $41,000 | 1 March 2026 |
| Spain | Highly Qualified Professional (Startup Law) | 40,000 EURannual | $43,000 | 1 January 2023 |
| United Kingdom | Skilled Worker — general threshold | 41,700 GBPannual | $49,000 | 22 July 2025 |
| Australia | Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT, formerly TSMIT) | 76,515 AUDannual | $50,300 | 1 July 2025 |
| Germany | EU Blue Card — general threshold | 50,700 EURannual | $52,000 | 1 January 2026 |
| Canada | LMIA — High-wage stream floor (indicative) | 75,000 CADannual | $54,000 | 27 June 2025 |
| United States | H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes) | 62,000 USDannual | $62,000 | 1 July 2024 |
| Netherlands | Kennismigrant — 30+ | 5,942 EURmonthly | $76,440 | 1 January 2026 |
| United Arab Emirates | Golden Visa — skilled employee minimum | 360,000 AEDannual | $98,000 | 3 October 2022 |
Each figure links to its destination page, where it carries a primary-source URL and verification date.
By destination
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
7 thresholds · last checked 2026-05-30
Republic of Ireland
4 thresholds · last checked 2026-06-01
Federal Republic of Germany
4 thresholds · last checked 2026-06-01
Portuguese Republic
3 thresholds · last checked 2026-06-01
Kingdom of Spain
3 thresholds · last checked 2026-06-01
Kingdom of the Netherlands
4 thresholds · last checked 2026-06-01
United Arab Emirates
4 thresholds · last checked 2026-06-01
Canada
4 thresholds · last checked 2026-06-01
Commonwealth of Australia
4 thresholds · last checked 2026-06-01
United States of America
5 thresholds · last checked 2026-04-20
How we define a “threshold”
A threshold is the minimum annual remuneration at which the government will approve a work, residence, or investment visa of a given type. We track four common variants:
- Headline floor — the flat minimum (e.g. UK Skilled Worker £41,700, AU TSMIT A$73,150).
- Occupation-specific going rate — the per-SOC/ANZSCO/ISCO rate that overrides the headline floor when higher (UK going rates, US DOL prevailing wage levels, AU AMSR).
- Age-banded floors — lower rates for applicants under 30 or recent graduates (NL Kennismigrant under-30, Orientation Year).
- Passive-income floors — minimum unearned income for residence-by-income routes (PT D7, ES non-lucrative, Golden-class investor floors).
Frequently asked questions
What salary do I need for a work visa?+
It depends on the country and the specific role. Most sponsored routes apply the higher of a headline floor (for example the UK Skilled Worker general threshold) or the occupation-specific going rate. Each destination page lists the current figures with their effective dates.
Is the salary threshold gross or net?+
Thresholds are quoted as gross annual remuneration before tax. Some countries count only base salary while others allow certain allowances — the per-destination page notes what counts toward the figure.
Do younger applicants get a lower salary threshold?+
In some countries, yes — the Netherlands, for example, sets a lower Kennismigrant floor for under-30s and recent graduates. Age-banded floors are flagged on the relevant destination page.
How often do salary thresholds change?+
Typically once a year, but they can change without notice when rules are reformed. Always confirm the current figure on the linked primary source before making employment decisions.