Back

Global Talent Scheme

scroll down
Our core principles:

Overview

The GTI program operates through an additional layer on top of an existing visa – Distinguished Talent Visa (Subclass 124)

General Steps

Application process

  1. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)
  2. If your EOI has been accepted, the Department of Home Affairs will provide you with an invitation reference identifier and invitation code in order to lodge a visa application.
  3. You must be nominated by an Australian citizen, Australian organisation or permanent resident who has a national reputation in the same field as yours.

Target sectors

  • Resources
  • Agri-food and AgTech
  • Energy
  • Defence, Advanced Manufacturing and Space
  • Circular Economy
  • DigiTech
  • Infrastructure and Tourism
  • Financial Services and FinTech
  • Education

Expected salary threshold

Candidates should have the ability to attract a salary at or above the Fair Work high-income threshold of AUD$158,500. This figure is adjusted annually on 1 July.

Overview

The GTES program allows the employer to sponsor overseas workers for highly skilled positions that cannot be filled by Australian workers or through other standard visa programs such as Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visas.

The criterion of the GTES program

Before the Department enters into an agreement, businesses must be able to demonstrate that they can’t fill the position through existing skilled visa programs.

  • You will then be able to sponsor workers for a TSS visa under the GTES.
  • The GTES is designed to benefit Australia and Australian workers.
  • It aims to bring globally mobile, highly skilled and specialised individuals to Australia who can act as ‘job multipliers’ in Australian businesses, helping them to hire more local staff and fill critical areas of need.

Any position filled through a GTES agreement must provide opportunities for Australians by, for example:

  • creating new jobs for Australians
  • transferring skills and knowledge to Australian workers

*You must demonstrate how you realise these opportunities throughout the GTES agreement period.

General application process

Steps by steps process:

  1. Indicate your interest in the GTES.
  2. Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will make an assessment based on the information you have provided. Processing time is 6-11 business day based for complete application.
  3. If your business meets the criteria to enter into a GTES agreement, you will need to sign the agreement sent by DHA.
  4. Once an agreement has been executed, you will be provided with a unique code (Permission Request ID). You must use this when you lodge nomination applications online for overseas workers. Nominated workers can then apply for a TSS visa online.

Approved businesses who wish to apply must meet specific criteria and requirements to be considered for the GTES as stated below:

1. For the Established Business

Employer criteria

  • Demonstrate that access to the GTES will support job opportunities and skills transfer for Australians.
  • Labour market testing evidence for the specific positions as part of requesting a GTES agreement.
  • The employer must be in good standing with relevant regulatory agencies, including compliance with immigration and workplace laws.
  • Must be publicly listed or have an annual turnover of at least AUD4 million for each of the past 2 years.
  • Be endorsed as a TSS accredited sponsor.

Applicant and position criteria

  • Must meet health, character and security requirements.
  • No familial relationship with directors/shareholders.
  • Qualifications must be commensurate with the highly skilled role.
  • At least 3 years work experience directly relevant to the position.
  • Capacity to pass on skills/develop Australians.
  • The position must have minimum annual earnings equivalent to the Fair Work High Income Threshold.

2. For the Startup

Employer criteria

  • Demonstrate that access to the GTES will support job opportunities and skills transfer for Australians.
  • Labour market testing evidence for the specific positions as part of requesting a GTES agreement.
  • The employer must be in good standing with relevant regulatory agencies, including compliance with immigration and workplace laws.
  • Operates in a technology-based or STEM-related field (eg digital, biomedical, AgTech).
  • Independent startup advisory panel will assess and endorse the business as a viable and genuine startup.

Applicant and position criteria

  • Must meet health, character and security requirements.
  • No familial relationship with directors/shareholders.
  • Qualifications must be commensurate with the highly skilled role.
  • At least 3 years work experience directly relevant to the position.
  • Capacity to pass on skills/develop Australians.
  • The position must have minimum annual earnings equivalent to the Fair Work High Income Threshold.

Overview

SISA is a new type of visa designed to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to pursue innovative ideas and build seed-stage businesses. SISA is being piloted in South Australia. If it proves to be a success, it will be implemented across the country.

Encouraging innovative business

Startups are critical to the Australian economy’s long-term success. Startups provide new jobs, encourage innovation, and provide chances for our economy to diversify.

SISA Visa aims to achieve the following objectives:

  • Complementing the Business Innovation and Investment program’s current visas for startups and entrepreneurs
  • Supporting South Australian entrepreneurship, produces jobs, and brings value to the state’s innovation ecosystem
  • Ensuring that Australia remains open and competitive in attracting the best and brightest entrepreneurial talent needed to bring new ideas to market.

The SISA event

SISA is being implemented through the SISA event. The South Australian government is running the SISA event from November 2018 to November 2021.

The SISA event allows overseas and local entrepreneurs to share their experience, skills and talent, exchange ideas, learn from each other, collaborate and network – all to grow Australian innovation systems.

Entrepreneurs will participate in the SISA event by taking forward innovative ideas in South Australia. They will be encouraged and supported to develop their ideas through various activities such as master classes, networking events, learning how to pitch their ideas, and access to financial and legal advice.

In the SISA environment, successful overseas and local entrepreneurs will mentor and guide developing entrepreneurs, and investors can readily identify opportunities to back emerging and growing businesses.

Participating in SISA

Eligible overseas entrepreneurs can apply for a Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa to participate in SISA. The visa allows you to stay in Australia for the duration of the event.

In addition to the standard requirements for a Temporary Activity visa, applicants for a visa to participate in SISA must:

  • be endorsed by the Government of South Australia to participate in SISA
  • include a supporting business plan when applying for your visa
  • be under 45 years of age at the time of application
  • demonstrate a minimum of Vocational English

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • What were the 14 November 2020 changes to the Global Talent Visa?

      Australian government passed a legislation on 14 November 2020 and removed the offshore Subclass 124 visa and made significant changes to the onshore Global Talent Subclass 858 visa application. Once the referral has been assessed, the Department will email the candidate a unique identifier number and code to complete the visa application and be evaluated under the GTI requirements.

  • What were the 20 January 2021 changes to the GTI program and EOI eligibility?

      Bachelor (with Honours) and Masters graduates will no longer be eligible for admission to the GTI programme based solely on their academic credentials as of January 20, 2021. This supersedes previous requirements, which considered applicants who were recent Masters or Honours graduates (within the last three years); had a WAM of at least 80%; and the course was closely related to their field of study. These individuals were also thought to be able to meet the FWHIT (Fair Work High Income Threshold) requirements. The Department has said that the new amendments will apply “regardless of the date you submitted your EOI,” implying that they will apply to previously submitted EOIs. That is not to indicate that recent Masters or Bachelors (Honours) graduates should not apply; nevertheless, in order to be considered, they must also exhibit international recognition in addition to their academic achievements. Candidates in the aforementioned cohort who received an invitation reference identification before January 20, 2021 are still eligible to apply for a Distinguished Talent (subclass 858) visa with priority processing.

  • What were the 27 February 2021 changes to the Global Talent visa?

      On 27 February 2021, the Distinguished Talent visa was renamed the Global Talent visa. The Subclass and criteria remained the same.

  • I am a PhD graduate, am I likely to be invited?

      Our experience has been that the Department favours PhD graduates who are conducting highly unique and/or commercially viable research, and/or who have proved employability (i.e., obtaining a postdoctoral position and/or a job in the business). The quality of your research is the strength of your application as a PhD graduate. Having a job is solid proof that your research is valued since either more funding is flowing to support it or a commercial business is looking to use it.

  • Do I get an acknowledgement after submitting an EOI?

      An acknowledgement message will appear after you click “Submit.” You will not get an email confirming the receipt of your EOI. The Department will contact you to either seek additional information or documents or to provide you with a unique identifier.

  • How long does it take to get a response from my EOI?

      It depends. The Department at the moment does not publish its processing times. If you email the Department, you’ll get a “auto-response” that they’re currently processing EOIs submitted in October 2020. Individuals whose EOIs were submitted between September and December 2020 have received results.

  • Does the department advise me if my EOI is unsuccessful?

      The Department has stated that EOI applicants will be notified whether or not they were successful.

  • What if I don’t meet one of the 10 targetted sector?

      The GTI program is specifically to target people in the targeted sectors. If you clearly do not meet these sectors, then this program is not for you. However, an individual may come into contact with one of these areas without even noticing it. If you think you might be a candidate but aren’t sure if you fit into one of the sectors, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

  • How do I know if I am a ‘distinguished talent’?

      This is a highly subjective evaluation. Look at what we’ve stated above as successful candidates who have received EOIs to see if you’ve had noteworthy academic or professional accomplishments that aren’t in the “ordinary” course. If you believe you might be such a candidate but aren’t sure if you qualify, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

  • How do I find a nominator?

      This is the most asked question we get from offshore EOI candidates, and the answer is dependent on your specific circumstances. It could be your boss, a coworker in the sector, a professor, or even a trade association. Please be informed that if you do not have a nominator, the Australian Computer Society (ACS) may be able to nominate you if you have a technological focus. You no longer need to have a unique identifier in order to apply for ACS’s nomination.

  • Do you assist with finding a nominator?

      We make recommendations based on an individual’s profile when we are hired to help with the EOI or Global Talent visa. We do not, however, find a nominator for you.

  • What are the requirements for the nominator?

      The requirements for becoming a nominator are outlined above. The nominator will be required to submit the Form 1000 as well as evidence that they have a “national reputation” in the same field as you.

  • If I receive a unique identifier, does this guarantee that my GTI visa application will be granted?

      No, it does not. You still need to meet all the criteria for the grant of the actual visa, including health and character requirements.

  • How long is the processing time for the GTI visa itself?

      At this moment, no processing times are available as the Department never published them. However, in our experience, most applications are completed in 1-2 months, depending on the application (i.e., whether any documents are missing) and availability for health checks. The citizens of Hong Kong enjoy a much faster turnaround due to the recent policy.

  • I’ve received a unique identifier, but I have family members (spouse/partner, children) outside Australia. What do I do?

      The Department of Home Affairs merged the offshore (Subclass 124) and onshore (Subclass 858) Distinguished Talent visas into one visa subclass, the Subclass 858 visa, on November 14, 2020. Amendments were made to allow applicants to lodge their applications whether they were inside or outside of Australia at the time. This was later renamed the Global Talent visa.

  • I’m in Australia as the holder of a Bridging Visa pending an outcome on a further substantive visa. Can I apply for the Global Talent visa?

      Yes. The Department merged the offshore (Subclass 124) and onshore (Subclass 858) Distinguished Talent visas into one visa subclass which is known as Subclass 858 visa on 14 November 2020 and later named it as Global Talent visa. These changes also now allow applicants to apply onshore so long as they hold either a substantive visa, or a Bridging Visa A, B, or C.

  • Will the government extend the Global Talent Independent program?

      The Department has set 15,000 positions for the 2021/22 program year. This keeps the allocations from the previous 2020/21 fiscal year. Since the programme is in high demand, we encourage qualified individuals to apply as soon as possible to secure a position.

  • I am from Hong Kong. Does it give me any advantage?

      Yes. The Department prioritises all applications made by the citizen of Hong Kong.

Thank you! We will reply you shortly.

Become a client

Let's talk about your immigration to Australia

Give us a call:

This form is currently undergoing maintenance. Please try again later.

By submitting, you consent to Riverwood Migration processing your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Usually, it takes us from 1 to 3 business days to process requests. We will contact you at the easiest opportunity

You have successfully subscribed to our Newsletter!