At a Glance

  • The Global Talent Independent program has been introduced in Australia with the intention of welcoming highly-skilled migrants from the best universities and the most successful companies in the world.
  • Prospective applicants will need to demonstrate an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in their field and an annual income of at least AUD 148,700.
  • Eligible migrants under the program will receive fast-tracked processing and some will be eligible to obtain Australian permanent residency within a matter of weeks.

The situation

The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs in Australia announced the commencement of the Global Talent Independent (GTI) program to welcome more highly-skilled migrants from the best universities and the most successful companies in the world.

A closer look

  • Eligible industries. Under the GTI program, the Department of Home Affairs will recruit up to 5,000 highly-skilled migrants in the below industry sectors during the initial phase of the program:
    • Space and high-end manufacturing;
    • Food and agricultural business;
    • Digital technologies, quantum information, data science and cyber security;
    • Energy and resources;
    • Medical technologies and pharmaceutical;
    • Major infrastructure and urban development; and
    • Financial technology.
  • Eligibility criteria. Prospective applicants will need to demonstrate an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in their field and an annual income of at least AUD 148,700 (USD 102,099.65), to be adjusted every July.

Impact

Migrants with niche skills or significant experience in their field now have a new option to migrate to Australia with much greater flexibility than existing programs.

Eligible migrants under the program will receive fast-tracked processing and some will be eligible to obtain Australian permanent residency within a matter of weeks.

Foreign nationals and employers interested in learning more about the GTI should contact their immigration professional about this first-of-its-kind program for Australian immigration.

Background

The GTI is another new bespoke visa program to support the Australian government's innovation agenda and follows the recent introduction of the Global Talent Employer Sponsored (GTES) program and the Southern Australia pilot.

Looking ahead

Australia is expected to continue investing in its innovation programs to encourage the entry of highly-skilled foreign talent. Fragomen will report on related policy developments as they occur.

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