Australia’s new Global Talent Visa Scheme creates new opportunities for highly skilled overseas workers
AICA - Legal Services In Seven Hills

Australia’s new Global Talent Visa Scheme creates new opportunities for highly skilled overseas workers

In the controversial new visa changes implemented earlier this month, a new Global Talent Visa scheme (GTS) is now being trialled.

To be tested over a period of 12 months, this scheme aims to attract highly skilled workers to boost Australia’s technology industry. The ‘visa pilot program’ will allow companies to offer four-year visas to highly skilled tech workers from across the globe, with an option to transition to permanent residency.

Branching under the Temporary Skills Shortage visa scheme, the GTS aims to help Australian businesses to find highly skilled workers to for specialised jobs that don’t exist in the nation.   

Similar to the existing entrepreneur visa, this scheme may have been introduced to complement the skill shortage generated after the closure of the controversial 457 visa scheme. 

Consisting of two streams, the new changes will add immediate growth in certain Australian industries. 

The two streams include:

Start-up Stream

Business Criteria:

  • Operates in STEM-related field (eg digital, biomedical, ag-tech).
  • Demonstrates recruitment policy gives first preference to Australian workers.
  • Labour market testing has been undertaken for the specific position.
  • The business must have no record of workplace or immigration law breaches.
  • Employees are fairly paid in accordance to Australian wage standards.
  • A ‘start-up authority’ will endorse the business.
  • Financial criteria will be detailed through stakeholder consultations (e.g. a working capital or capital raised threshold).

Applicant and Position Criteria:

  • Needs to meet health, character and security requirements.
  • Cannot have a familial relationship with directors/shareholders.
  • Qualifications must be equal with the highly skilled role.
  • At least 3 years work experience directly relevant to the prospective job.
  • Ability to pass on skills/develop Australians.
  • Minimum annual earnings at market salary rate (equity can be included, but must have a cash component no less than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (presently $53,900)).

The newly applied Global Talent Scheme Visa will only be trialled for a year but is expected to create great work and employment opportunities. Source: iremit.com.au.

Established Business Stream

Business Criteria:

  • Demonstrates recruitment policy gives first preference to Australian workers. 
  • Labour market testing has been undertaken for the specific position.
  • The business must have no breaches of workplace or immigration law and employees are fairly paid.
  • Must be publicly listed or has an annual turnover of $4 million or more for each of the past 2 years.

Applicant and Position Criteria:

  • Needs to meet health, character and security requirements.
  • No familial relationship with any directors/shareholders.
  • Qualifications must be commensurate with the highly skilled role.
  • At least 3 years work experience directly relevant to position.
  • Capacity to pass on skills/develop Australians.
  • Position must have minimum annual wage earnings of $180,000.


With the new visa changes having been rolled out as of July 1, there are many new opportunities for migration pathways into Australia. Source: www.sbs.com.au.

What benefits will you see from this scheme?

Like all visas, although there are certain rules and regulations an employer and prospective worker need to adhere to, this scheme offers a wide scope of benefits for everyone involved. A huge positive aspect of this visa that makes it positively unique, is that it does not have to fall under the current skilled occupation lists, so a skilled worker seeking employment will be fast-tracked into a position by the government. Although this feature is dictated across both streams, there are still distinct differences in benefits between each:

Established Business Stream

  • Open to recognised sponsors and other businesses.
  • Access up to 20 positions per year (applicant and position criteria must be satisfied on each occasion).
  • Flexibility in certain visa criteria, including o access to 4 year TSS visas o age cap concessions.
  • Pathway to permanent residency is available after 3 years.
  • Simpler applications and processing is notably faster.
  • If the position ceases the visa holder has 60 days to find a new sponsor and visa or depart Australia.

Start-up Stream

  • Access up to 5 positions each year (applicant and position criteria must be achieved on each occasion).
  • Flexibility in certain visa criteria, including access to 4 year TSS visas and age cap concessions.
  • A pathway to permanent residency is available after 3 years.
  • Simpler applications and fast processing.
  • If the position ceases (if, for example, the start-up ceases trading) the visa holder will have 60 days to find a new sponsor and a new visa or depart Australia.
Who can help you?

With years of experience in Australian migration, AICA Immigration has a team of expert migration agents to walk you through every step of the process to ensure your transition into Australian life on the Global Talent Visa Scheme is as quick, simple and easy as possible.

Having successfully managed over 10,000 immigration cases, AICA remains to be the leading international migration agency in the nation and here to help you with any question or enquiry you have about your visa requirements.

If you wish to further enquire about the visa opportunities from our professional consultancy team today, please call 1300 242 228 or visit www.aicainternational.com.

AICA - Legal Services In Seven Hills
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