The Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs introduced a new program in 2019 to boost the movement of highly skilled individuals from around the world to Australia.

This includes a fast-tracked pathway to Australian permanent residency for applicants with globally recognised talent in a target sector.

This is one of the first programs of its type where Australia is actively hunting talented people and asking them to come to Australia.

This is an older article. Click here to learn the criteria for the Global Talent Visa

The Visas for Innovation include the following three programs:

1. Global Talent Visa program (subclass 858 visa)

A pathway for talented individuals to get an Australian visa fast

2. Global Talent Employer Sponsored program (Temporary Skills Shortage visa, Subclass 482 visa)

A program helping Australian businesses fill unique positions with the best workers

3. Supporting Innovation in South Australia pilot (subclass 408 visa)

Attracting entrepreneurs to regional Australia to undertake their projects in a supported environment - this pilot program ends November 2021

Each of these programs uses a new pathway for an old visa.

These new pathways are seeking to increase the Australian workforce capabilities in high-tech industries.

Up to 15,000 places will be offered in the Global Talent program in 2021-22.

Global Talent Independent Visa (GTI) (subclass 858 visa)

NOTE: the Global Talent Independent Visa was renamed the "Global Talent Visa" in 2020.

The benefits of the Global Talent Independent Program is that it is fast, flexible and straight-to-PR. Find out why the GTI is so popular here.

It presents a great opportunity for a highly-skilled professional in a high-growth area to move to Australia permanently.

The Global Talent scheme was launched 4 November 2019 and is built on the existing Distinguished Talent program, comprised of:

• Offshore Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 124)
• Onshore Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 858)

Fast Processing

At the Law Council's Immigration Law Conference on 20 March 2020, respresentatives from the Department of Home Affairs stated that applications under the GTI program are being given priority processing. Processing times vary from 2 day to 2 months with many being decided in one to two weeks!

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs (as he then was) David Coleman has also signed Direction no 85 to give high priority to GTI applications as they are considered to be highly desireable by the Government.

GTI Requirements

1. Highly skilled in one of the identified target “high-growth” sectors:

2. One of the following:

• “Ability to attract” a salary at or above the Fair Work High Income Salary Threshold (this varies each financial year and is AUD158,500 as at 01 July 2021) or
• Recent graduate of PHD or a Masters program who received high grades.

The program is designed to have global talent officers situated around the world in capital cities such as Dubai, New Delhi, Santiago, Shanghai, Washington DC, Berlin and Singapore.  These officers are seeking to attract and engage highly skilled individuals to the program to move to Australia and bring their skills with them.

Currently there are allocated 15,000 places in the GTI program which are up for grabs so if you’re a leader in your field, make sure you get your place to move to Australia.

Watch our video: Fast Track to Australian PR Now: GTI visa for Tech and IT sectors

High-Growth Fields

Agricultural Technology (AgTech)

AgTech is one of the fields identified for the Global Talent Independent Program.

Australia is looking to push the boundaries of “Agriculture 4.0”.

Growth through the Internet of Things (IOT) has been identified as an area for further explanation, with big advantages to flow for the agriculture industry.

https://www.austrade.gov.au/news/success-stories/agtech-in-australia-driving-iot-connectivity-for-farming

Financial Technology (FinTech)

FinTech is a growing field worldwide, including in Australia.

We have seen the rise of a range of:

• Modern banks such as Up, Xinja and 86,400
• Investing platforms such as Raiz, eToro and Spaceship
• Payment platforms and digital financial products, including AfterPay
• Regtech and many many other FinTech products in Australia

To develop cutting edge technologies which will function in not only the Australian financial market, but which can be exported to overseas markets, Australian FinTech startups and companies need the highest level of talent.

If you are a developer, computer scientist or financial expert with a background in FinTech, a permanent move to Australia through the GTI program could be the way to go.

Experience and skills in blockchain are especially sought after.

Medical Technology (MedTech)

There is innovation globally in the medical technology field, using technologies both existing and developing.

From a range of industries to create technologies that better serve the health needs of patients.

In Australia, there are big opportunities in developing new and better medical devices, implants and bionics.

There is work to be done in designing, building and quality assurance on new implants and body augmentations

to help those with serious health problems to live a better life.

Key foundation competencies are needed in engineering and product design in the MedTech field.

Cyber Security

Cyber Security is very important to many businesses and government Departments, ensuring that data, personal information, commercial information and funds remain secure.

With more and more connections to the internet and a growing number of attacks on private and public bodies, new Cyber Security solutions are needed and there are more positions in Australia than can be filled. 

Energy and Mining Technology

Australia has a rich and varied history of energy, mining and resources industries.

There is room for further development in mining equipment, technology and services (METS).

Global talents are being sought who can bring skills to Australia to push the METS industry even further.

The CSIRO have released a roadmap for where they see development of METS heading.

Space and Advanced Manufacturing

South Australia has recently been set up as the home for the new Australian Space Agency and space industry entrepreneurs will benefit greatly from this.

There are a range of interesting startups already underway, looking at microsatelites and other services in the space and space-adjacent industries.

Applicants who have experience working with the development of sensors, advanced materials, robotics and augmented/virtual reality systems

will have skills which are highly valuable.

One of the advantages of operating in Australia, especially in the advanced manufacturing industry, is the access to nearby asian countries.

Timezones, close proximity and existing networks make Australia a positive environment.

If you are a global talent in the advanced manufacturing industry, this program might be a suitable way for you to obtain a permanent Australian visa

and work for an established company or establish your own.

Quantum Information/Advance Digital/Data Science and ICT

There is a lot of research taking place in advanced computational systems and the field of “big data”.

There is demand for high level talent with experience and aptitude in the area to make big breakthroughs.

Global talents are sought by universities, government research organisations and private industry to develop and apply quantum information/advance digital/data science and ICT.

Global Talent Employer Sponsored (GTES) (TSS subclass 482 visa)

The GTES is an option for businesses to sponsor highly skilled workers who do not fit neatly into atarget sector. It has been open for applications since 1 July 2018.

We have previously written about this in depth here: https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/new-global-talent-visa-as-part-of-tss-482-to-attract-entrepreneurs-to-australia.html

A number of big tech and adjacent industry names are already registered as sponsors for this program (all current agreements are published here: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/employing-and-sponsoring-someone/sponsoring-workers/nominating-a-position/labour-agreements/list-of-current-labour-agreements)

These include:

• Atlassian
• Goldman Sachs
• Canva
• Amazon
• Pfizer

One of the big benefits of this program is the skills which highly skilled individuals can pass on to their colleagues in Australia.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/high-skilled-visa-scheme-promises-residency-within-weeks-20191102-p536vt

There are two streams for the GTES program:

• Established Business stream
• Startup stream

Supporting Innovation in South Australia (SISA) (subclass 408 visa)

The SISA program is a new stream for the 408 visa and an opportunity for entrepreneurs to develop their new idea in South Australia.

This program has actually been in force since November 2018. We wrote about this soon after its release here: New South Australian Entrepreneur Visa (SISA) Processing Times & Requirements

Success Stories

One success story is Daniel Tan, the founder of Pencil Rocket who has obtained a SISA visa in connection with ecosystem provider Flinders New Venture Institute.

You can read Daniel’s story here: https://www.nviflinders.com.au/daniel-sisa-visa/

Another is Pascal, founder of Jobspottr: https://www.nviflinders.com.au/pascal-sisa-visa/

Sources

• https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/visas-for-innovation
• https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/resources/faq/supporting-innovation-in-south-australia-sisa
• https://www.nviflinders.com.au/daniel-sisa-visa/
• https://migration.sa.gov.au/entrepreneur/eligibility-criteria-and-requirements

This article was written by Luke Edwards

Visit Luke's profile to find out more his expertise.

We have put together two videos discussing this topic and will continue to bring you updates as we all move the Coronvirus situation.

VIDEO 1 -Coronavirus - Australian Travel Bans, Student & Visitor Visa Holders Options and The Rush Back

This Article was last updated on Monday April 6, 2020.

As we write this update, we have a very many people worried for the future and concerns for loved ones abroad and in Australia due to the disruption the Coronavirus crisis is causing as the number of confirmed cases rise globally by the hour.

At this point in time, many plans for the future have been disrupted as a result of the lockdown or shutdown of airports and countries to foreigners.

Our thoughts are with anyone who finds themselves in this position. As specialist in the area of partner and family migration we have been considering how the Coronavirus crisis may be affecting you and created

the following Questions and Answers below:

491 Visa - Australian (Skilled Worker Regional) Provisional - Questions and Answers

As the Visa subclass 491 is still quite a new visa subclass for the Australian Department of Immigration, we have been receiving a huge amount of questions, so we thought we would collate them all in one place. Hopefully you will find these answers useful, if you don’t find the answer to your 491 visa question please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Living and Working in Regional Australia
Occupation and Skills
English Language Skills
My family and My Visa
My Health and Character
Processing Times and Costs
Moving towards Permanent Residency

In 2018, one quarter of all Australian marriages were between a local and foreign born person.
That’s 28,452 marriages in Australia and potential spouse visas. (Source: https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/home-is-where-the-heart-is-or-is-it-20191223-p53mgt.html)

Partner visa processing times have steadily increased over the past two years.

We have previously written about the processing times here: https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/australia-partner-visa-processing-times-update-march-2017

The current processing times are such that for a Temporary Partner (subclass 820) visa (onshore) 22 to 29 months on the Home Affairs website (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/partner-onshore/temporary-820)

And for a Partner Provisional (subclass 309) visa (offshore) 17 to 20 months on the Home Affairs website (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/partner-offshore)

The Department is receiving more applications in a migration program year (same as the financial year, from 1 July to 30 June) than it will be able to process in that year, which is affecting your ability to get the visa granted.

The Australian 2019/20 bushfire season has been one of the worst natural disasters our country has faced.

We have previously discussed the impact of the bushfires on various visa subclasses in our recent article: https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/how-will-the-bushfire-crisis-impact-on-australian-visas-and-immigration-1.html

Among the affected visa holders, Working Holiday (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462), have felt the biggest impact. Working holidaymakers may have experienced disruptions to their work and thus, are unable to meet the specified work required to extend their visas. Others may have been turned away from fire and drought affected areas as there is simply no work available.

Following recommendations from the National Bushfire Recovery Agency, changes to working holiday visas were announced today. These changes are mutually beneficial for fire affected regions and working holiday visa applicants and holders.

We are here to answer your questions about the Skilling Australians Fund levy

The Australian 2019/20 bushfire season has been one of the worst natural disasters our country has faced. Our thoughts are with those who have suffered from these fires and we praise the efforts of all firefighters, especially the volunteer brigades who have worked so hard to protect life and property at their own mortal risk and continue to do so. 

This month Work Visa Lawyers has chosen to support the South Australian Country Fire Service Foundation with a financial contribution.

We have all seen the heart wrenching media images of immediate loss of people, wildlife and property but the social impacts will be far-reaching and persist long after the fires have been extinguished. In particular we would like to acknowledge the loss suffered locally in our native South Australia, particularly the Kangaroo Island Community. We have assisted the Southern Ocean Lodge for many years and we wish everyone involved in the lodge the best possible outcomes in the difficult time.

Every year, hundreds of people who apply to renew their Australian passport or apply for citizenship by descent for their overseas-born children are notified by the Department of Home Affairs that they have ceased to be an Australian citizen some years ago. Often, this cessation comes without notice and the notification that they do not hold current Australian citizenship is shocking and can cause significant distress. Prior to 2002, many Australians who obtained the citizenship of another country were not aware that they will also automatically cease to be an Australian citizen.

Automatic Cessation of Australian Citizenship

Prior to 2 April 2002, a person of full age who by some voluntary or formal act other than marriage, did an act or thing to acquire the citizenship of another country ceased to be an Australian citizen under section 17 of the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 (Cth) (‘old Act’). There was no requirement to report the acquisition of another citizenship and the cessation occurred automatically as an operation of law.

Due to the automatic effect of section 17, the Department of Home Affairs does not have comprehensive records of those who lost their Australian citizenship under this provision. As such, errors may have been made when issuing evidence of Australian citizenship, Australian passports or in assessing citizenship applications. This means that you may hold an Australian passport without actually being an Australian citizen!

Full Age

From 26 January 1949 to 30 November 1973, a person aged 21 or over was considered of full age and would have lost their Australian citizenship once they obtain citizenship from another country.

From 1 December 1973, a person aged 18 or over was considered to be of full age.

Location of Citizenship Acquisition

Prior to 22 November 1984, section 17 of the old Act applied to those who acquired another citizenship whilst outside of Australia.

Between 22 November 1984 and 2 April 2002, an adult ceased to be an Australian citizen upon acquiring another citizenship, regardless of whether they were in or out of Australia.

Ex-Citizen Visa

Under section 35 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), those who were affected by section 17 automatically acquired an ex-citizen visa which allowed them to lawfully remain in Australia. Once they leave Australia, they could not re-enter without a valid visa.

How you may come to find out of your loss of Australian citizenship under section 17:

• After applying for Australian citizenship by descent for their overseas-born children

• After applying to renew Australian passport

• After applying for proof of Australian citizenship

• Attempting to re-enter Australia after a long period of time living overseas

Repeal of section 17

After much lobbying, especially from the expatriate community, major amendments were made to the old Act in 2002. From 4 April 2002, dual nationality was introduced for Australian citizens, allowing a person to simultaneously hold both Australian citizenship and the citizenship of another country. However the change was not retrospective, meaning those who lost their citizenship under section 17 do not automatically regain their Australian citizenship.

Resuming Australian Citizenship:

Resources

If you were affected by section 17 and wish to regain your Australian citizenship, speak to us today about an application to resume your Australian citizenship.

Call us on (08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 to book an appointment or click on the button below for online booking:

Book an Appointment

Sources:
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd0102/02bd078

Citizenship Policy and Instructions 27 – Resuming Australian Citizenship issued on 24 May 2019
Migration Act 1958 (Cth) s 35