How To Apply For Australia’s Global Talent Visa Program

To attract skilled professionals in future-focused sectors like health, energy and Digitech, Australia offers a streamlined visa pathway known as the ​​​Global Talent Visa Program. This visa was earlier known as the Distinguished Talent Visa.

The idea behind this program is to promote innovation, give Australians the opportunity to learn new skills and create more jobs. This visa is a permanent visa that allows the individual to live and work anywhere in the country.

The visa holder can also sponsor relatives to migrate to Australia and eventually apply for Australian citizenship. Keep reading to learn more about this visa program.

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Australia’s Global Talent Visa Program – Eligibility

To be eligible for the Global Talent Visa, the applicant must be highly skilled in at least one targeted sector and be placed at a high-income threshold. In terms of income, the individual should earn a minimum of AUD162,000 per annum. He/she must also meet health and character requirements.

Read: Types Of Australian Visa – The Only Guide You Need

Targeted Sectors For Australia’s Global Talent Visa Program –

Resources such as geology, metallurgy, resource waste management and beneficiation technologies

• Exceptional candidate example: Managing directors for international mining corporations
• Strong candidate example: Researchers and executives with relevant experience
• Exclusions: Site managers, Engineers, mechanics and construction workers

Agri-food and AgTech such as biotechnology, product packaging, farm management technology and wearable technology

• Exceptional candidate example: Research center directors with proven results
• Strong candidate example: Post-doctoral researchers
• Exclusions: Farmers, food safety managers and chefs

Energy such as artificial intelligence, automation, hydrogen technology and micro-grid design

• Exceptional candidate example: Founders and CEOs of research-driven companies
• Strong candidate example: Senior engineering specialists
• Exclusions: Construction workers, sales representatives and mid-level operations managers

Health Industries such as digital health, pharmaceuticals, regenerative medicines and clinical trials

• Exceptional candidate examples: Pharmaceutical founders and senior executives and renowned researchers
• Strong candidate example: Senior neuroscientists and biomedical engineers
• Exclusions: General practitioners, nurses, dentists and retail pharmacists

Defense, Advanced Manufacturing and Space such as guided munitions, supply chain resilience, protection technology, surveillance and intelligence

• Exceptional candidate examples: Directors for international defense equipment certification organizations or head engineers for rocket companies
• Strong candidate example: Senior technology managers for aeronautical research centers
• Exclusions: Soldiers, sailors, machine operators and junior officers

Circular Economies such as environmental science, bioenergy generation, waste treatment and recycling

• Exceptional candidate example: Senior engineering managers
• Strong candidate example: Post-doctoral researchers with cited publications
• Exclusions: sales representatives and floor mechanics

DigiTech such as robotics, automation, machine learning engineering and 3D printing

• Exceptional candidate examples: Inventors, company founders and experts in human-centered design
• Strong candidate examples: Video game developers and software experts
• Exclusions: Business analysts and ICT consultants

Infrastructure and Tourism such as water management, transport infrastructure and smart city design

• Exceptional candidate example: Chief operating officers for national freight companies or commercial airline companies
• Strong candidate example: Internationally recognized experts in railway operations
• Exclusions: Draftspersons, mechanics, and tour guides

Financial Services and FinTech such as neobanking, predictive financial advice, application programming and blockchain engineering

• Exceptional candidate example: Founders and CEOs of digital asset enterprises
• Strong candidate example: Executives dealing with financial ICT strategy consulting and insurance market operations
• Exclusions: Retail bankers, insurance brokers and stockbrokers

Education such as senior management for universities, Edtech, research fundraising and academic research

• Exceptional candidate example: Level E academics and prestigious prize winners
• Strong candidate example: Research commercialization executives with experience in education policy design
• Exclusions: School administration staff, teachers and A to C-level academicians

Read: The Australian Citizenship Test – What to Expect

Documents Required For Global Talent Visa

The following documents must be submitted to support the claims made in the application:

• National Identity Card
• Relationship documents such as marriage certifications or divorce documents as applicable
• Record of relevant achievements such as international awards, patents, academic articles, media articles, etc.
• Letters for relevant bodies showing opportunities for future employment
• Proof of qualifications
• Police character certificates
• Military service records or discharge papers if applicable
• Proof of functional English skills

Documents Required For Dependents

Spouse/Partner

• Proof of relationship
  • Character certificate
  • Marriage certificate
  • Identity documents
  • Joint bank account statements/ joint billing accounts/ joint lease statement

Dependents Under The Age Of 18 Years

• Copy of birth certificate showing names of both parents/ copy of adoption papers

Dependents Over The Age Of 18 Years

Dependents can be included if they are less than 23 years old and dependent on the applicant or if they are over the age of 23 years and unable to support themselves because of physical/cognitive limitations.

• Identity documents
  • Character certificates
  • Proof of dependency

Applying For The Global Talent Visa Program In Australia

There are 2 stages to applying for Australia’s Global Talent visa program

Stage 1: Expression Of Interest

Eligible individuals must first submit an expression of interest (EOI) using the Global Talent Expression of Interest​ form and the Nomination for Global Talent form.

This must be accompanied by the following documents:

• Passport
• Nominator passport
• Evidence of employment, income, qualifications and international recognition

Only one Expression of Interest must be submitted. If accepted, the individual will receive and invitation email with a unique invitation reference identifier and an invitation code. Rejected applicants will also be notified by email.

Nominators must be Australian or eligible New Zealand citizens with a recognized national reputation and a record of excellence in the same field as the applicant. The nominator need not employ the applicant and cannot be changed once the visa application has been submitted.

Applicants who have been endorsed by the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Global Business and Talent Attraction may not need a nominator.

Stage 2: Visa Application

Once the applicant’s EoI has been accepted, he/she can submit a Global Talent (subclass 858) ​visa application online by creating an ImmiAccount. The application may also include dependent family members. The visa is usually processed within a maximum of 3 months. A processing fee of AUD 4,305 is payable per application.

Getting Help With The Global Talent Visa Application

The Global Talent visa application can be submitted individually or with the help of Global talent Officers. The services of these officers are available in Washinton DC, Singapore, London, San Francisco and Australia.

Also Read

• 4 Ways to Migrate to Australia
• How to Apply For Australian Permanent Residency