The National Innovation visa replaced the Global Talent visa, kept the same subclass number, and inherited a great deal of published commentary that is no longer accurate. If you are researching the subclass 858 in 2026, a fair amount of what you will read describes a program that no longer operates that way.
Two things are worth establishing before anything else. There is no income threshold for this visa. And the invitation rate is far tighter than most coverage suggests.
What the Department actually requires
From the Department’s National Innovation visa page, you must:
- be invited to apply, and lodge your visa application within 60 days of invitation
- be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply and when the visa is granted
- have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in one of: a profession, a sport, the arts, or academia and research
- have a nominator with a national reputation in your area of talent, who is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, an eligible New Zealand citizen, or an Australian organisation
That is the list. Read it again if you have seen something else, because the next section is about what is not on it.
The income threshold that does not exist
A number of pages ranking for this visa state that applicants must earn above a salary figure tied to the Fair Work high income threshold. You will find at least three different dollar amounts quoted across those pages, which is itself a clue.
No income or salary threshold appears in the Department’s eligibility requirements for the National Innovation visa. The high income test belonged to the earlier Global Talent Independent program guidance, and it did not carry across.
This matters practically. We have spoken to people who assumed they were ineligible on salary grounds and never submitted an expression of interest. Exceptional achievement in the arts, in sport, or in academic research does not always come with a corporate salary, and the criteria do not ask it to.
The invitation numbers, which nobody publishes
The Department publishes its invitation rounds, and the most recent figures give a much clearer picture than any general guide.
For April to June 2026, the Department received 2,166 expressions of interest and issued 248 invitations. That is roughly one invitation for every nine expressions of interest.
Where those invitations went:
| Priority level | Invitations |
|---|---|
| Priority one, global experts with international top of field awards | Fewer than 5 |
| Priority two, candidates nominated by a government agency on Form 1000 | Fewer than 20 |
| Priority three, Tier One sector achievements | 192 |
| Priority four, Tier Two sector achievements | 38 |
And by sector:
| Sector | Invitations |
|---|---|
| Critical technologies | 122 |
| Health Industries | 45 |
| Renewables and low emission technologies | 33 |
| Financial Services and FinTech | 14 |
| Agri-food and AgTech | 9 |
| Defence Capabilities and Space | 7 |
| Education | 6 |
| Sports and the Arts | 6 |
| Infrastructure and Transport | Fewer than 5 |
| Resources | Fewer than 5 |
Source: the Department’s current invitation round page, last updated 11 August 2026.
Two conclusions follow. Critical technologies took almost half of every invitation issued. And priority three, the Tier One sector band, accounted for 192 of the 248. If your achievements sit in a Tier One sector, that is where the volume is.
Invitation rounds happen monthly. For context on how many permanent places sit behind these programs each year, see our guide to the 2026-27 migration program planning levels.
An invitation is not an approval
The Department states this directly, and it is worth taking seriously: an invitation to apply for a National Innovation visa is not a pre-assessment of a candidate’s eligibility for the grant of the visa. Each application is assessed on its merits and supporting documentation.
People treat the invitation as the hard part and the application as paperwork. The invitation gets you the right to apply within 60 days. The evidence still has to carry the claim.
How the priority order works
The Department considers submitted expressions of interest against the indicators of exceptional and outstanding achievement claimed, and against the program priorities, then extends invitations according to the priority order.
The practical consequence is that an expression of interest is not a queue ticket. A candidate whose claims sit in priority three can be invited ahead of someone who submitted earlier in a lower band. Which band your claims land in is largely determined by how the evidence is framed.
What a strong expression of interest looks like
The phrase to keep returning to is “internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement”. Each word is doing work.
Internationally recognised means recognition beyond your own country and beyond your own employer. Record means a pattern over time rather than a single high point. Exceptional and outstanding is a comparative standard, so the evidence has to show where you sit relative to your field, not simply that you are accomplished.
The nominator requirement is often underestimated. The nominator must have a national reputation in your area of talent. A senior colleague who does not have a national profile in your specific field is a weak nomination however warmly they write.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an income requirement for the National Innovation visa?
No. The Department’s eligibility requirements do not include an income or salary threshold. The high income test that appears in some published guides related to the earlier Global Talent Independent program.
Has the Global Talent visa been replaced?
The National Innovation visa now occupies subclass 858. Guidance written for the earlier Global Talent arrangements should be treated with care.
How many people get invited?
For April to June 2026 the Department received 2,166 expressions of interest and issued 248 invitations. Rounds are held monthly.
Which sectors get the most invitations?
Critical technologies by a wide margin, with 122 of the 248 invitations in that period, followed by Health Industries at 45 and renewables and low emission technologies at 33.
Do I need to be in Australia?
You can be in or outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is granted, but you must not be in immigration clearance at either point.
How long do I have to apply after being invited?
You must lodge your visa application within 60 days of the invitation.
Who can be my nominator?
A person or body with a national reputation in your area of talent, being an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, an eligible New Zealand citizen, or an Australian organisation.
A realistic next step
The people who do well here are rarely the ones with the most impressive career. They are the ones whose evidence is framed against the actual test and pointed at the right priority band. If you are weighing up whether your record meets an internationally recognised standard, that is a question worth answering before you spend months assembling an expression of interest. If a points tested route is also on the table, our guide to Australia’s permanent residency pathways sets out the alternatives. Our team advises on skilled and talent migration pathways, and you can book a consultation with our migration lawyers.
About the author: Tina Nematian is the Principal Lawyer at One Planet Migration Law. She is an Australian Legal Practitioner and a Registered Migration Agent (MARN), and has guided clients through partner, skilled, employer-sponsored, student, and humanitarian visa applications across Australia.
This article is general information only and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Visa rules change frequently and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Speak with a registered migration lawyer or agent before making any application. Figures were current as of August 2026; always check immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging.
