Am I Eligible For The Global Talent Visa?

If you are interested in living and working in Australia, you may be eligible for the Global Talent Visa. The visa attracts highly qualified, experienced and exceptionally talented individuals to live and work in Australia as a permanent resident. In particular, those who can demonstrate the relevant skills in a number of targeted health, technology, scientific and financial sectors.

The Global Talent Visa is part of a federal government initiative to help support the post-COVID recovery and boost local jobs. As a result, the Department of Home Affairs plans to invest heavily in the Global Talent Independent Program (GTIP) and has tripled its intake to 15,000 for the 2020/2021 fiscal year. 

This article will explain the benefits, eligibility criteria, process and costs associated with the Global Talent Visa.

Benefits of a Global Talent Visa

Provided the eligibility criteria can be met, the Global Talent Visa is an extremely attractive option over other permanent residency visas (such as the skilled independent visa – subclass 189 and 190) or employer-sponsored visa (subclass 186). 

This is because eligible candidates:

• do not need to provide a skills assessment;
• are not required to meet the minimum points threshold; 
• are not required to meet minimum English requirements;
• do not require state/territory nomination or employer sponsorship; 
• can be up to 55 years of age or older if they can demonstrate exceptional economic benefit to Australia; and
• can be a recent Bachelor (Honours), Masters or PhD graduate in one of the key target sectors. 

Eligibility Criteria

As a highly-skilled candidate with a relevant Masters or PhD, the Global Talent Visa is an attractive option for you. Your eligibility for this visa is determined based on the following criteria. You:

• have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievements;
• are prominent in your field of expertise;
• would be an asset to the Australian community;
• would have no difficulty in obtaining employment, or becoming established independently, in Australia in your area of talent;
• have an organisation or individual in Australia with a national reputation in the same field, who can attest to your record of achievement;
• have a current or potential income of AUD $153,600; 
• meet onshore qualifying visa requirements including Schedule 3 (if applicable); and 
• your application has been made in relation to one of the following target sectors, or a related sector:
  • AgTech
  • FinTech
  • MedTech
  • Cyber Security
  • Space and Advanced Manufacturing
  • Energy and Mining Technology
  • Quantum Information, Advanced Digital, Data Science and ICT.

Unlike the skilled independent visas (subclass 189, 190 and 491) and the employer-sponsored visas (subclass 482 and 186), there is no occupation list for the Global Talent Visa.

Visa Process

Regardless of whether you are onshore or offshore,  there are several steps in securing the Global Talent Visa: 

Seeking Nomination For The Global Talent Visa

You are required to select a nominator and have them complete Form 1000 at the time of lodging your DTV application. A nominator must be:

• an Australian citizen; or
• an Australian permanent resident; or
• an eligible New Zealand citizen; or
• an Australian organisation.

The nominator must be able to attest to your international and exceptional record of achievement, based on their expertise in the same area. 

Only one nominator is necessary for your application; if you provide more than one nomination, the Department may request that you select only one nominator. However, you can provide as many letters of support from:

• Australian citizens;
• Australian organisations; and 
• internationally recognised individuals or organisations in your area of expertise to support your application. 

You can also change your nominator between the time of submitting an EOI and lodging the DTV application. However, once you submit your DTV application with a completed Form 1000 (identifying your nominator), you will not be able to change nominators. 

Processing Times

After submitting an EOI to the GTIP, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few months to receive a UIN. Please note that the GTIP is experiencing extensive delays in assessing EOI requests and some eligible candidates are likely to wait three to four months (possibly longer) to receive an outcome. 

After receiving a UIN, you can proceed to lodge a DTV application. The DTV application processing time is between one and two months from the time of submission. This is an incredibly fast turnaround for applicants to achieve Australian permanent residency. 

Visa Application Costs

As of November 2020, the following DTV application fees apply:

Additional costs may include health examinations, police checks, translations of documents, and so forth.

Key Takeaways

As an exceptional candidate with expertise in one of the target sectors, you may be eligible to apply for the Global Talent Visa. The visa offers a priority processed and streamlined pathway to Australian permanent residency. The Australian Government is highly invested in the GTIP as part of its initiatives to assist in Australia’s economic recovery post-COVID-19. 

If you are considering applying for this visa, LegalVision’s expert immigration lawyers are offering complimentary 15-minute consultations to any potential candidates who would like to discuss their eligibility for the Global Talent Visa. To make an appointment, call 1300 544 755 or complete the form on this page.