For 2025, Australian employers sponsoring overseas talent must meet (at minimum) the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT)—a floor designed to prevent underpayment. The threshold rose in 2024 and was updated again for 2025 nomination lodgements, so most sponsored roles naturally cluster well above $100k. This is why $115k AUD is a realistic and attractive benchmark for candidates targeting sponsorship. Immigration and citizenship Website+1

The visas you’ll actually use (and why they matter)

Australia modernised its employer-sponsored program: the Skills in Demand (SID) visa (subclass 482) replaced the old TSS 482 on 7 December 2024. It’s still employer-sponsored, but now grouped into streams (e.g., Core Skills and Specialist Skills) aligned to current shortages. For many professionals, this is the front door to Australia—often followed by permanent residence (PR) via the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) 186. Immigration and citizenship Website+3Immigration and citizenship Website+3Immigration and citizenship Website+3

Good to know

SID (subclass 482) = temporary work visa sponsored by an approved employer. Streams determine occupation/earning criteria and processing settings.
ENS (subclass 186) = employer-nominated permanent visa. Many candidates transition to 186 after gaining Australian experience with the sponsoring company.
Salary rules = when an employer nominates you, they must pay the higher of: the market salary for the role or the TSMIT for the applicable program year. In practice, that pushes offers for skilled roles into the $100k+ range in major cities. Immigration and citizenship Website

15 job titles that commonly pay $115k+ with real sponsorship potential

Salary bands vary by city, sector and seniority, but the following roles frequently advertise above $115k AUD and appear regularly in sponsored job postings. Ranges below reflect typical base pay (not including superannuation or bonuses) drawn from current market sources like Hays’ FY25/26 salary guide and industry datasets. Use them as directional guides when assessing offers.

Senior Software Engineer / Backend Engineer
Typical range: $110k–$150k+ (seniors often at $130k–$160k; staff/principals higher). Cloud/AI, high-scale backends and fintech push to the top end. Hays+1Levels.fyi
Data Scientist / Machine Learning Engineer
Typical range: $115k–$160k+. Product analytics, LLM integration, and ML ops are hot; industry experience in finance, health, mining or retail analytics is a plus.
Cyber Security Engineer / Analyst (senior)
Typical range: $120k–$170k+. Blue team, cloud security and GRC uplift projects are driving demand.
Cloud / DevOps Engineer
Typical range: $120k–$160k+. AWS/Azure certs, IaC (Terraform), containers and platform engineering experience pay particularly well.
ICT Project Manager / Delivery Lead
Typical range: $130k–$180k. Enterprise transformation and government projects often sponsor experienced PMs.
Solutions / Enterprise Architect
Typical range: $150k–$200k+. Complex integration and cloud modernization experience is highly prized.
Construction Project Manager (Commercial / Infrastructure)
Typical range: $120k–$170k. Renewables, rail, road and hospital builds create steady sponsorship demand outside pure tech.
Quantity Surveyor / Cost Manager (mid–senior)
Typical range: $110k–$150k+. Employers in growth corridors and major infrastructure hubs often consider sponsorship.
Civil / Structural Engineer (senior)
Typical range: $120k–$160k. Transport, water, geotech and bridge programs remain funded and skills-short.
Electrical / Mechatronics Engineer (industrial, power, mining)
Typical range: $115k–$160k+. Power systems, HV, and automation experience travel well across states.
Mining Engineer / Geotechnical Engineer / Processing Engineer
Typical range: $130k–$180k+ (site allowances can lift total comp). Regional employers are sponsorship-friendly.
Health: Senior Registered Nurse Unit Manager / Nurse Practitioner
Typical range: $110k–$140k+ plus loadings. Clinical leadership, ICU, peri-op and aged care reform fuel demand.
Physiotherapist / Occupational Therapist (experienced in NDIS / hospital)
Typical range: $95k–$125k+ (lead roles higher). Rural and regional providers are more open to sponsorship.
Finance: Senior Management Accountant / FP&A / Audit (Big 4 or industry)
Typical range: $115k–$160k. IFRS, analytics tooling, and sector specialization (mining, healthcare, tech) help.
Digital: Product Manager / UX Lead / MarTech Lead
Typical range: $120k–$170k. Clear impact on growth metrics is what convinces sponsors.

Tip: When you evaluate a posting, look for “482/SID sponsorship available,” “employer sponsorship,” “work rights can be provided,” or “visa support.” If the ad is vague, ask directly—many employers only sponsor once they’ve identified a standout candidate.

Where the jobs are (and what sponsors like to see)

Cities & sectors

Sydney (NSW) and Melbourne (VIC): HQs of banks, insurers, SaaS, health tech, major consultancies—rich in software, data, cyber, product and corporate finance roles.
Brisbane (QLD), Perth (WA), Adelaide (SA): Engineering and resources (mining, energy, renewables), defence, heavy industry, and growing tech scenes; sponsorship often easier when roles are site-based or regional.
Canberra (ACT): Government-heavy; sponsorship depends on security clearance needs but systems integration/consulting roles abound.

Candidate signals that increase sponsorship odds

Scarce skill proof: certifications (AWS, Azure, GCP, CISSP, CISM, PMI, RPEQ/Chartership, CPA/CA) + quantified outcomes.
Domain expertise: e.g., energy trading platforms, hospital EMR rollouts, SCADA/OT security, large-scale e-commerce, or public-sector delivery.
Longevity: employers prefer candidates who can stay long enough to justify costs—be explicit about a PR pathway (e.g., interest in 186). Immigration and citizenship Website

The salary rules you must meet (so your nomination doesn’t fail)

When an employer nominates you, they must show that your pay meets both:

The market salary rate for Australians doing the same job at the company; and
The program-year minimum (TSMIT/related salary requirement).

For nomination applications lodged between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026, government guidance lists AUD 76,515 as the relevant baseline figure for many employer-sponsored nominations. In earlier periods (e.g., from 1 July 2024), the figure was AUD 73,150. Employers must pay whichever is higher—the baseline or the genuine market rate for your occupation and level. This is why roles advertised for sponsorship are often well north of $100k in practice. Immigration and citizenship Website+1

The step-by-step path to a $115k+ sponsored job in 2025

Step 1 — Align your role to the right SID stream
Scan the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) streams: most professionals fit Core Skills; very high earners may fit Specialist Skills. Confirm your occupation’s eligibility and baseline conditions on Home Affairs before applying widely. Immigration and citizenship Website+1

Step 2 — Calibrate your salary using fresh Australian data
Use a current salary guide (Hays’ FY25/26 is widely referenced) to pitch within local bands by city/seniority. That makes sponsors comfortable you understand the market and the minimums they must meet. Hays

Step 3 — Shortlist sponsorship-friendly employers

Target multi-office nationals, consultancies, systems integrators, health networks, resources companies, and regional providers—they sponsor more often.
Look for adverts that mention visa sponsorship, global mobility, or relocation.
If the ad is perfect but silent on visas, apply anyway and surface sponsorship late in the first screen, once you’ve demonstrated fit.

Step 4 — Get your documents “sponsor ready”

Skills assessment / licensing if applicable (engineers, health, trades).
English test (IELTS/PTE) meeting your stream’s requirement.
Employer-friendly CV: outcomes, metrics, Australian terminology (e.g., “superannuation,” “enterprise agreements,” “government frameworks”).
Referees who can speak to leadership and delivery in similar environments.

Step 5 — Interview for impact, not tasks
Show how you delivered measurable outcomes: cost saved, risk reduced, revenue lifted, time-to-market improved. Many employers will only escalate to sponsorship after the hiring manager sees you as a decisive upgrade.

Step 6 — Offer negotiation

Clarify that the salary excludes superannuation unless stated; most ads quote base + super separately.
Ensure the base satisfies both the market rate and the year’s minimum (see earlier), then negotiate sign-on, relocation, or professional development budget. Immigration and citizenship Website

Step 7 — Map your PR pathway
Discuss the employer’s willingness to nominate you for ENS 186 after you meet experience and stream conditions. It’s a win-win: retention for them, PR for you. Immigration and citizenship Website

Sample $115k+ career plays (by background)

Software / Data (3–8 years’ experience)

Pitch: “Senior Software Engineer (backend) in fintech” or “ML Engineer, retail analytics”.
Target: Sydney/Melbourne scale-ups, banks, SaaS; consultancies with government portfolios; global product companies with AU hubs.
Why sponsorship works: acute competition for experienced engineers; high ROI on delivery; well above required pay floors. HaysLevels.fyi

Cyber / Cloud (4–10 years)

Pitch: “Cloud Security Engineer with AWS + incident response” or “Platform Engineer driving IaC + FinOps”.
Target: banks, telcos, defence-adjacent vendors, major SIs, and state/federal programs.
Salary: comfortably $120k–$160k; senior/lead higher.

Civil / Construction / Infrastructure (5–12 years)

Pitch: “Project Manager – hospital / rail / renewables,” “Senior Civil Engineer – water,” or “Quantity Surveyor – major projects.”
Target: contractors, client-side PM firms, design consultancies with long pipelines.
Why sponsorship works: multi-year programs and regional delivery make sponsors pragmatic on visas.

Mining / Resources (3–10 years)

Pitch: “Mining Engineer – open cut/UG,” “Processing Engineer – concentrator,” “Electrical Engineer – HV.”
Target: WA/QLD operators, EPCMs, OEMs; regional postings increase sponsorship odds and total comp via allowances.

Healthcare (clinical leadership)

Pitch: “Nurse Unit Manager (ICU/theatres),” “Nurse Practitioner,” “Senior OT/PT with hospital exposure.”
Target: hospital networks, aged care providers, regional health services.
Note: registration and practice endorsements take planning; once sorted, regional demand is strong.

How to find real sponsored vacancies (and filter out noise)

Job boards: Seek, LinkedIn, Indeed. Use filters/keywords: “visa sponsorship,” “482,” “Skills in Demand,” “employer sponsored.”
Company careers pages: Large employers often state “we sponsor” in FAQs even if ads don’t.
Specialist recruitment firms: Many maintain sponsorship-friendly client lists and can sanity-check salary bands with you (Hays’ public guide is a good calibration tool). Hays
Professional networks: Join Australian domain groups (e.g., Data/AI Sydney, Engineers Australia chapters) and attend virtual meetups timed to AEDT/AEST.
Regional angle: Search by city plus “relocation” or “regional”—many sponsorships live there.

Crafting a CV that screams “sponsor me”

Lead with outcomes: three bullets per role, each with a number (saved $2.3m capex, cut MTTR by 38%, delivered a 14-station rail package three months early, lifted conversion 22%).
Mirror the ad: If it says “Azure, Terraform, Kubernetes, zero-trust, IRAP,” your first half-page should echo those capabilities with proof.
Add a “Regulatory & Standards” line where relevant (e.g., AS/NZS standards, ISO 27001, IEC 61508, Australian building codes, IRAP/ISM for government).
Certs up top (only the relevant ones): AWS Pro/SAA, CISSP/CISM, PMP/PRINCE2, CPEng/RPEQ, CPA/CA, AHPRA registration.
Location flexibility: note willingness to work in Perth / Brisbane / regional WA/QLD if true—sponsors love mobility.

Interview answers that trigger sponsorship decisions

“Why Australia, and for how long?” → Signal a multi-year commitment and a plan to pursue ENS 186 with the employer.
“What’s your impact?” → Use quantified, sector-relevant outcomes.
“Any constraints?” → Have your skills assessment and English test lined up (or booked), confirm notice periods, and mention you understand salary floors and market rates (you’ve done your homework). Immigration and citizenship Website+1

Red flags & gotchas (learn from others’ mistakes)

Vague salary wording: In Australia, ads often show base + super separately. Ensure your base (exclusive of super) meets the nomination salary requirement; don’t assume package totals will satisfy the threshold. Immigration and citizenship Website
“We’ll figure visa later”: Push for clarity by the second interview—does the company have standard operating procedure for 482/SID and a migration agent? If not, delays can derail start dates.
Under-leveling: Some firms may title you “mid” to fit bands; if your scope is senior/lead, push for the correct level and salary—remember the employer must also justify market rate.
Licensing lag: Engineers (chartership/RPEQ), clinicians (AHPRA) and electricians (state licenses) can face multi-month processes—start early.

The cleanest path to PR (and higher pay)

A common route is:
SID (subclass 482) → prove value (1–2 years) → ENS 186 nomination → PR.
Plan this from day one: ask about the employer’s ENS policy, probation timing, and any internal milestones required for nomination. It signals commitment and helps HR budget the sponsorship pathway. Immigration and citizenship Website

Final checklist before you hit “apply”

Your target titles map to $115k–$160k bands in the city you want (validated against a current salary guide). Hays
You meet English and licensing requirements (or can within weeks).
Your CV highlights Australian-relevant outcomes and keywords from the ad.
You can explain the SID/ENS pathway and salary floor logic in one minute (that’s how hiring managers know you’re low-risk). Immigration and citizenship Website+2Immigration and citizenship Website+2

Bottom line

If you target the right niches—software/data/cyber/cloud, infrastructure/construction/engineering, resources, and clinical leadership—then $115,000+ AUD with visa sponsorship is not only possible in 2025, it’s common. Australia’s revamped sponsorship settings and clearly defined salary floors mean employers already expect to pay into six figures for scarce skills. Do your calibration with a fresh salary guide, match your story to local needs, and prioritise employers and regions that have a track record of sponsoring—then let your outcomes do the persuading.