Australia launches Global Talent Scheme

At the start of this month, Australia launched the Global Talent Scheme pilot programme to help Australian businesses attract the world’s best and brightest workers.

Launched on 1st July, the 12-month pilot will provide businesses with clearly defined and accessible pathways to access global talent for specialised positions where there are no suitable Australians to fill the vacancies.

The new Global Talent Scheme will aim to help grow Australia’s economy and answers the call from businesses to deliver more flexible, future focused visa arrangements to attract global talent to Australia.

Businesses will now have the opportunity to sponsor highly-skilled overseas workers with niche skills that are not covered in the short-term and medium-term streams of the Temporary Skill Shortage visa program.

Australia Boardwalk - Global workforce - Emigrate2There are two Global Talent Scheme streams available to businesses. They are:

Established Business stream. This allows employers who are accredited sponsors to employ highly-skilled individuals with cutting-edge skills to contribute to innovation in an established business and help make Australian businesses and their Australian employees the best at what they do.

Start-up stream. This allows employers to sponsor highly-skilled individuals with cutting-edge skills to contribute to Australia’s start-up ecosystem and bring new ideas, new jobs, new skills and new technology for Australia. This stream is for start-ups operating in a technology based or STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) related field. Start-ups must be endorsed by the independent start-up advisory panel.

In both instances, a four-year Temporary Skill Shortage visa will be issued with the option to apply for permanent residence after three years.

Employers will be required to demonstrate that they prioritise the employment of Australians and that there will be skills transferred to Australian workers as a result of the person being granted a visa.

Article published 10th July 2018