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 is designed to attract highly qualified, experienced and exceptionally talented individuals to live and work in Australia as a permanent resident. In particular, it targets 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 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 you can meet the eligibility criteria, 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 minimum points threshold; 
• are not required to meet minimum English requirements;
• do not require state or 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 PhD graduate in one of the key target sectors. 

If your employer is not willing to nominate you for permanent residency under the subclass 186, and provided you meet the eligibility criteria, this may be an option for you to remain in Australia permanently. 

Eligibility Criteria

If you are a highly skilled candidate and demonstrate your international recognition and achievements, 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 
• make your application in relation to one of the target sectors set out below, or a related sector.

Target Sectors

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.

The target sectors were expanded on 17 December 2020 per Direction 89 (and subsequently replaced Direction 85, which commenced on 4 November 2019).

Visa Process

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

1. submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the GTIP and wait to receive an unique identifier number (UIN); 
2. secure a nominator and complete Form 1000; and 
3. submit a visa application for a subclass 858 – distinguished talent visa (DTV).

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. For example, a nominator must be an:

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

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 as you like from:

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

When submitting your EOI to the GTIP, it is not a requirement for you to have a nominator but it does strengthen your EOI to include a completed Form 1000 identifying an appropriate nominator. You can 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. 

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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. Once you have submitted the DTV application, processing times are between one to two months. This is an extremely fast turnaround for applicants to achieve Australian permanent residency. 

If you are onshore, you can now apply for the DTV if you hold a substantive visa or a bridging visa A, B or C. A substantive visa is any visa that is not a bridging visa. Historically, onshore applicants who held a visitor visa or bridging visa were not permitted to apply for the DTV. However, new regulations introduced from 14 November 2020 have removed these barriers and allow more eligible applicants to apply. 

Visa Application Costs

As of 1 July 2021, 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 their initiatives to assist in Australia’s economic recovery post COVID-19. If you are considering applying for this visa, LegalVision’s expert immigration lawyers hold weekly information sessions for any potential candidates who would like to discuss their eligibility for the Global Talent Visa. To make an appointment, contact LegalVision’s immigration lawyers on 1300 544 755 or complete the form on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions