Tasmania's 2026-27 Nomination Changes: What Actually Changed

Migration Tasmania has published the changes to its 2026-27 Skilled Migration State Nomination Program, and they are substantial. The income levels have moved with the TSMIT, the Gold priority attribute in the Skilled Employment pathway is now much harder to claim, a long list of priority attributes has been rescored, and two occupation groups (motor mechanics and massage therapists) face new rules on what employment counts from 1 December 2026. If you are in Tasmania building a nomination case, this changes the arithmetic. Here is what moved.

What changed in the income levels?

Tasmania has retired some loose wording and tied its thresholds to the national figures. The pay level of at least $57,000 per year, or $28.85 per hour, is now called the "priority income level". The salary and hourly benchmarks used in the priority attributes are now:

Two minimum requirements moved with the TSMIT as well. The qualifying business income requirement for the Tasmanian Established Resident (subclass 190) pathway is now $79,423, and the qualifying business income level for the Tasmanian Business Operator pathway (85 per cent of TSMIT) is now $67,509.

There is also a useful procedural change. If you meet the subclass 190 pathway requirements but cannot actually get a 190 (because your skills assessment is not eligible, or your SkillSelect points fall short), Tasmania now says you should still submit a Registration of Interest under the 190 pathway, with a clearly labelled document explaining the situation. If approved, you will be nominated for a subclass 491 visa instead.

The Gold attribute in the Skilled Employment pathway is now harder

This is the change most likely to affect people mid-application. In the Tasmanian Skilled Employment (TSE) pathway, the Gold attribute is now limited to candidates who have worked in Tasmania for the past six months with at least one job providing a minimum (not average) of 30 hours per week. You can hold multiple jobs, but at least one must consistently meet the 30-hour requirement, and jobs cannot be combined to reach 30 hours for Gold.

Tasmania has rebalanced other attributes to compensate, so candidates who would have earned a Gold pass under the 2025-26 settings after nine months of employment above roughly $71,549 still receive appropriate priority. The TSE scoring changes include:

The direction of travel is clear: Tasmania is paying more for actual Tasmanian employment in a matching role, and less for general industry experience. On the 491 side, an extra 15-point attribute was added for two years of Australian experience in the same industry earning at least the priority income level, to line up with the 190.

Graduates and established residents

In the Tasmanian Skilled Graduate (TSG) pathways, Gold eligibility is unchanged. New Orange-plus attributes reward employment related to your study: more than 18 months in a related role at the priority income level scores 100 points for the 190 (95 for the 491), 12 to 18 months scores 75 (70 for the 491), and 9 to 12 months scores 50 (45 for the 491). Earnings above the TSMIT/CSIT rose from 23 to 25 points on the 190, and earnings at 90 per cent of TSMIT rose from 13 to 20 points.

Both the graduate and Established Resident pathways now award 15 points to candidates who have lived and worked or studied only in Tasmania, with no period of residence elsewhere in Australia. Tasmania is explicit that this attribute alone will not secure an invitation; you still need attributes showing real integration into the Tasmanian workforce and community.

The automotive and massage therapy caveats: what employment counts

These are the changes to watch if you work in the trades, and they take effect from 1 December 2026.

For motor mechanics and service technicians, Tasmania is drawing a hard line around the type of employer. From 1 December 2026, employment as a motor mechanic will only be recognised as matching a Motor Mechanic skills assessment or course of study if the employer's main business is repairing vehicles. It will not be recognised where the employer routinely buys and sells used vehicles, unless the employer is a currently authorised dealer for a recognised vehicle manufacturer and your work primarily involves diagnosing and repairing that manufacturer's vehicles for customers.

Auto service technician roles are tighter again. That work will only be recognised if the employer is a currently authorised dealer for a recognised manufacturer and the role primarily involves servicing that manufacturer's vehicles for customers. Roles in sales, or in preparing new or used vehicles, will not be recognised at all. Tasmania has also flagged that applicants may be asked to prove the nature of the role through manufacturer accreditation or training certificates, customer invoices or service records naming the applicant, and diagnostic reports naming the applicant.

There is a transitional concession. From that date, prior auto-related experience gained outside these recognised settings may still be acknowledged if you are working in one of the recognised settings at the time you submit your Registration of Interest.

Separately, and worth knowing if it applies to you, service technician roles are not accepted as matching skills assessments in ANZSCO group 321 (Motor Mechanic (General), Diesel Motor Mechanic, Motorcycle Mechanic and Small Engine Mechanic).

Massage therapists face a parallel rule. From 1 December 2026, massage therapy employment will only be recognised as matching a Massage Therapist skills assessment or course of study if the work is performed in a health, allied health, or aged or disability care setting. Prior experience outside those settings will be acknowledged if you are working in a recognised setting when you submit your ROI.

How pay and hours are now counted

Several rules that used to be argued case by case are now written down, and most of them tighten how income is calculated.

Annual leave cannot be added to the guaranteed income in your contract. Annual salary must be calculated on a standard 38-hour week, and if your ordinary week exceeds 38 hours, the hourly rate must be used instead, because annualised arrangements can inflate yearly earnings above what the base hourly rate really supports. Casual workers must use the base hourly rate before casual loading. If you hold multiple or part-time jobs, you can combine hours but not income: you nominate the hourly rate from the highest-paid job only, and every job counted toward minimum hours must individually meet the income threshold.

On hours, employment must average at least 20 hours per week over the qualifying period, with two exceptions. Graduate pathway applicants must average at least 9 hours per week during study and 20 after completing it. And the TSE Gold attribute needs its 30 hours in a single role. Spouse employment can be claimed for priority attributes where it averages more than 15 hours per week.

Leave rules are now explicit too. Normal entitlements like annual, personal or maternity leave generally count as work experience if you continued to reside in Tasmania. Short absences from Tasmania of up to four weeks usually count if you have lived and worked there for at least six months. Other situations, including unpaid leave and breaks in casual employment longer than two weeks, are added to the qualifying period rather than counted. A gap of three months or more between jobs will usually reset the qualifying period.

Pay must also match the local award or agreement rate for the job and level. If your payslips or contract do not show the award and classification level, your employer must provide a written statement confirming the award, the level, and that your pay meets or exceeds the required rate. Applications may be refused where pay cannot be verified as consistent with the correct rate.

What should you do about it?

If you were counting on the old Gold settings in the Skilled Employment pathway, re-check your hours: one role must hit 30 hours a week, and averaging across jobs will not save the claim. If you are a motor mechanic, auto service technician or massage therapist, look closely at your employer's actual business before 1 December 2026, and if your current setting will not be recognised, consider whether moving into a recognised setting before you lodge your ROI preserves your earlier experience. And if your income claim relied on annualised salary, annual leave or combined jobs, recalculate it under the new rules before you submit.

FAQ

What is the "priority income level" in Tasmania's 2026-27 program?

At least $57,000 per year or $28.85 per hour. It is the new label for the pay level used across many priority attributes.

What changed about the Gold attribute?

In the Tasmanian Skilled Employment pathway, Gold now requires six months of Tasmanian work with at least one job providing a minimum of 30 hours per week. Jobs cannot be combined to reach 30 hours.

When do the motor mechanic changes start?

From 1 December 2026. Motor mechanic work is only recognised where the employer's main business is repairing vehicles, and auto service technician work only where the employer is an authorised manufacturer dealer and the role is servicing that manufacturer's vehicles.

Can I still count earlier automotive experience?

From 1 December 2026, prior auto-related experience outside the recognised settings may be acknowledged if you are working in a recognised setting at the time you submit your Registration of Interest.

Can I combine two jobs to meet the income requirement?

No. You can combine hours, but not income. You nominate the hourly rate from the highest-paid job only, and each job counted toward minimum hours must individually meet the income threshold.

Not sure how the new Tasmanian settings affect your nomination prospects? [Book a consultation] and we will work through your attributes against the current rules.