Global Talent Visa Program

Update: 10 November 2020

In November 2019, the Department of Home Affairs launched the Global Talent program to attract the brightest and best global talent to work in targeted industry sectors in Australia. The program is designed to bring in highly talented individuals, with entrepreneurial ideas and cutting-edge skills, who can contribute to creating a stronger economy. The aim is to create opportunities for Australians by driving innovation, transferring skills within the Australian workplace and supporting the creation of new jobs.

The GTI program focuses in seven priority growth target sectors, including Cyber Security and Quantum Information, Advanced Digital, Data Science and ICT, AgTech, FinTech, MedTech, Energy and Mining Technology, Space and Advanced Manufacturing.

The Department of Home Affairs has increased the number of places to 15,000 for the 2020-21 Migration Program (from 5,000 in the 2019-2020 program) making this program one of the key skilled migration pathways.

A major advantage for applicants in this program is the streamlined pathway to permanent residency; both, applicants and their families, can live and work permanently in Australia. In addition, there are no age limitations (although if over 55, the applicant must demonstrate exceptional benefit to Australia), no occupation lists to adhere to, nor a requirement for a skills assessment.

In turn, to be eligible to apply for the GTI Program, candidates must meet a high standard and show an exceptional track record of professional achievement in one of the target sectors. This may include senior roles, patents, professional awards and international publications and memberships. Under the Distinguished Talent visa stream, individuals must prove they are internationally recognised with evidence of outstanding achievements, be prominent in their field of expertise, provide evidence that they would be an asset to Australia in their area of expertise, and have no difficulty obtaining employment in Australia or becoming established in their field. Places are also available to Masters and PhD students who can demonstrate their exceptional talent and international recognition in one of the target sectors.

The GTI program requires the applicant to be nominated by a recognised Australian organisation or an eligible individual (Australian permanent resident, citizen or eligible New Zealand Citizen) with a national reputation in the same field as the applicant to endorse his/her achievements and international standing.

Even though Australian borders are closed due to COVID-19, individuals granted a visa under the Global Talent Visa Program do not require a travel exemption to enter Australia. They are, however, subject to mandatory quarantine for 14 days at a designated facility.

Below are some examples of the skill sets sought after in each of the seven target sectors:

  • AgTech: Aims to improve agronomic productivity & efficiency, farm operations & logistics, financial planning & analysis and business management. This may include Sensor integration with farm machinery, Precision measurement, Food & Packaging technology, Robotics, Automation, Gene editing, Nanomaterials and synthetic biology, Wearables, including trackers for animal management, Irrigation, etc.
  • Cyber Security: Products and services that assist with the prevention of cyber-attacks (to support security by discovery and understanding of threats, vulnerabilities and opportunities, detection of cyber-attacks (assessing intrusions and breaches) and response following a security breach (to help with systems/data recovery). Specific examples include CISSP, CISA, IAM, SIM.
  • Energy & Mining Technology: Clean technologies, renewables and hybrids, Hydrogen technologies, Net zero emissions transition support, automation and robotics, beneficiation technologies.
  • FinTech: refers to technologically-enabled innovation in financial services, including start-ups and established financial services firms, such as blockchain technologies, platform banking, automated and predictive financial advice, compliance and ‘regtech’.
  • MedTech: Immunology, precision medicine, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, regenerative medicine, bionic devices, implantables, nanotechnology, prosthetics.
  • Quantum Information, Advanced Digital, Data Science and ICT: Artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics, data management and analysis, advanced mathematics and statistics, cloud computing, data and e-research infrastructure, front-end development, network engineer/architect, quantum information and computing, software and product development, systems integration, 3D printing.
  • Space and Advanced Manufacturing: digital design, rapid prototyping, additive manufacturing, biological integration, digitisation and automation, geo-location, aerospace technology, ending plastic waste, monitoring quality of water resources from space.

Contact us

If you would like to obtain migration advice about your visa options, you can call us on 1300 98 70 71 or email us on Skilled.Migration.Service@ames.net.au and speak with a Registered Migration Agent.

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