The Global Talent Visa continues to be the visa everyone wants.

And why wouldn’t it be?

With fast processing, low costs, and a direct pathway to permanent residence in Australia, there are few immigration options that can compare. It isn’t easy to get though; the Global Talent Visa is for highly skilled applicants in specific target sectors. Until now, the Australian Government had provided very little information as to who would and would not qualify for the GTV, but this month the Government has released examples of exceptional and strong candidates (who were granted Global Talent Visa 858) and categories of professionals that would usually not be eligible.

Click here to learn the criteria for the Global Talent Visa

Priority status will be given to applicants who work in a designated sector. These sectors are currently:

• Resources;
• Agri-food and AgTech;
• Energy;
• Health industries;
• Defence, Advanced Manufacturing and Space;
• Circular economy;
• Digitech;
• Infrastructure and tourism;
• Financial services and FinTech; and
• Education

Let’s take a look at the successful candidates from each sector. You may notice some of the sectors (such as Defence, Advanced manufacturing and Space) have been broken down into multiple separate categories.)

Resources

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Managing director of a technology and innovation unit of an international mining corporation with a global track record in the delivery of safe, cost effective, and complex multi-billion dollar projects.

STRONG CANDIDATES

Executive with extensive experience in subsea system development, execution and operation for a top-tier oil and gas company.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

• Site managers
• Engineers and mechanics
• Technicians and construction workers

AgriFood and AgTech

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Director of a world-renowned research centre for livestock genetic engineering with proven results in applying research to improve the quality, productivity and efficiency across the industry.

STRONG CANDIDATES

Highly regarded and cited post-doctoral researcher in the field of robotics and automations in agriculture, with ongoing industry collaborations. 

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Farmers and agricultural technicians 
• Food safety managers 
• Chefs and cooks

Clean Energy and Renewables

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Founder and CEO of an internationally acclaimed start-up in the research and manufacturing of innovative clean technology for heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

STRONG CANDIDATES

Senior energy transformation engineering specialist in devising solutions for new energy technologies.

Executive with expertise in the development and delivery of large energy projects.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Technicians and construction workers
• Distribution and sales representatives
• Junior or mid-level power plant or mine operations managers

Health Industries

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Pharmaceutical executive and founder of a multi-million dollar global company dedicated to accelerating clinical trial processes by utilising a novel e-platform to track patient data. 

Renowned infectious diseases researcher and practitioner of international repute.  

STRONG CANDIDATES

Senior auditory neuroscientist with a track record of research in health technologies, leading the research and design of cochlear implant technology.

Biomedical engineer with expertise in medical application of polymers, biomaterials and delivery platforms.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• General practitioners
• Retail pharmacists
• Dentists
• Physiotherapists
• Nurses
• Veterinarians 
• Aged care workers

Defence

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Business director of an international organisation renowned for testing, inspecting and certifying defence vessels and equipment.

STRONG CANDIDATES

Senior technology manager of a globally renowned aeronautical research and development centre leading multiple portfolios on defence products.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Soldiers and sailors 
• Junior officers

Advanced Manufacturing

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

A leading researcher in micro and nano electro-mechanical systems that owns multiple patents.

Chief technology officer of an internationally acclaimed manufacturer of sensors for electronic devices in the healthcare, robotics, and digital manufacturing sectors.

STRONG CANDIDATES

Senior data scientist specialising in designing machine learning algorithms and neural network models, with experience in commercialising artificial intelligence projects for automotive and intelligent devices. 

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Engineering technicians 
• Machine operators
• Draftspersons
• Sales and administrative managers

Space

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Renowned space industry leader with vast experience specialising in space systems engineering.

Head engineer of avionics and software at a leading rocket company that is developing new orbital launch vehicles and technologies for foreign space agencies.

STRONG CANDIDATES

A space policy specialist with extensive experience collaborating between government and the industry.

Post-doctoral astrophysicist with a sustained record in collaborative research, with a number of space agencies.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Engineers and mechanics who do not lead ground-breaking projects

Circular Economy

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Managing director of a technology and innovation unit of an international mining corporation with a global track record in the delivery of safe, cost effective, and complex multi-billion dollar projects.

STRONG CANDIDATES

Executive with extensive experience in critical mineral development, execution and operation for a top-tier company.

A leading researcher with expertise in heat and mass transfer, phase change and metallurgical transformation in high temperature systems.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Site managers 
• Engineers and mechanics
• Technicians and construction workers

DigiTech

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Founder and/or inventor of deep technology IP associated with digitech.

Expert in human-centred design and design thinking, experienced in designing sites, apps and online optimization strategies for high end IT firms.

Chief Information Security Officer driving intiatives in virtualization, Cloud, Internet of Things and cybersecurity across entire corporations.

STRONG CANDIDATES

Entrepreneur of an award winning video games developer company that has developed a number of original titles target at wide ranging international audiences.

Researcher and expert in software, platforms, game engine and AR/VR/XR tech including exemplary coders.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Business analysts, developers and ICT consultants without international experience.
• ICT support centre managers.

Infrastructure

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Chief operating officer of a national freight company with expertise in large scale and complex interstate railroading operations.

Chief commercial officer of a commercial airline with a global reputation in developing new aviation business models. 

STRONG CANDIDATES

Internationally recognised expert in railway operations, instrumental in the success of multiple large-scale, government led railway and transport infrastructure projects in a number of countries.

Managing director of an innovative company known globally for sports products and infrastructure for international championships including the Olympic Games.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Engineers
• Mechanics
• Draftspersons

Tourism

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

Chief commercial officer of a commercial airline with a global reputation in developing new aviation business models.

STRONG CANDIDATES

Managing director of an innovative company known globally for sports events and international championship events.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Tour guides, travel agents and hospitality workers
• Taxi and rideshare drivers

Financial Services and FinTech

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

CEO and founder of a digital asset and financial services enterprise, globally recognised for their outstanding innovation through successful application of business models and technology.

STRONG CANDIDATES

Executive of a multinational corporation operating in global financial ICT strategy consulting, artificial intelligence and cloud strategy development, risk and insurance market operations, or global financial services operating models.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Traditional bankers (except c-suite executives for major financial institutions)
• Retail bankers
• Accountants and account managers
• Financial advisors
• Stockbrokers
• Insurance brokers and sales managers
• Chief financial officers (unless a leader in a priority sector)

Education

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES

An executive with a track record in setting up university centres abroad, with expertise in establishing global collaborations and partnerships across government, academia and research.

Renowned level E academic and winner of prestigious prizes. 

STRONG CANDIDATES

Senior technology manager of a globally renowned aeronautical research and development centre leading multiple portfolios on defence products.

NOT USUALLY ELIGIBLE

The following experience or professions would not usually meet the parameters of the program:

• Researchers and academics at Australian academic levels A to C or their international equivalents, in fields other than education or pedagogy
• School teachers 
• Specialist teachers
• School administration staff

Is This You?

If you fit into any of the above categories, you could be an excellent contender for an Australian Global Talent Visa. Contact Work Visa Lawyers today to see if you have a shot at the country’s most sought after visa.

Author

Chris Johnston, Founder and Principal Lawyer at Work Visa Lawyers

Sources:

https://www.globalaustralia.gov.au

Do you need help?

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your Australian visa or appeal.

Based in Adelaide South Australia, we provide Australian Immigration advice to people and businesses from all over the world.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Disclaimer

This information is correct at the time of publication but is subject to change without notice.  All information provided on this page is provided for purely educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.  For advice on your situation, please speak with an Immigration Lawyer or a Registered Migration Agent.

An employer-sponsored visa to Australia is one great option for businesses to fill the skills or labour shortage in Australia. For the skilled visa holder, it is a great opportunity to come to Australia either temporarily or permanently. With someone who were in Australia during the pandemic, an employer-sponsored visa 482 can give you pathway to PR 186 visa 

However if you meet the eligibility criteria for it, the Global Talent Visa can be an even more attractive option than an employer-sponsored visa.

This is because of several factors including career flexibility, skills assessments, and age and language requirements.

Nevertheless, each visa stream has its own advantages and disadvantages for both employers and applicants. 

This article will discuss about the positive points of both the global talent visa and the employer sponsorship program.

Read more about the new visa 482 Employer Sponsored short-term to PR in 2022>

Career flexibility - No specific Occupation List for Global Talent Visa 858

Global Talent Visa is not an employer-sponsored visa. As a Global Talent Visa holder, you have the freedom to change jobs or roles, set up your own company or be self-employed. Even if you have to leave your job and be unemployed for some reason (like starting a family) you won't lose your visa.

For some employer-sponsored visas such as the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482) you have to work for the employer who sponsored you unless your occupation is one of the exempt occupations (such as a high-level, specialist medical professionals).

There are also employer-sponsored visas like the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (subclass 187) visa which require you to work in regional areas. There is no such requirement for the Global Talent Visa.

You can also work in a variety of occupations within your specialisation in designated Target sectors. For employer-sponsored visas, your occupation must be listed in the relevant skilled occupation lists.

No skills assessment for Global Talent Visa 

To be eligible for the Global Talent Visa, you have to :

• Be internationally recognised with evidence of outstanding achievements;
• Be currently prominent in your field of expertise and must provide evidence that you would be an asset to Australia.  You can provide evidence such as industry awards, media articles, research, publications and the like. 

A lot of PHD students have found that Global Talent Visa is their main Permanent Residency pathway without complicating process like General Skilled Migration. Because they can satisfy the part of internationally recognised evidence.

Moreover, you do not have to provide a skills assessment issued by the relevant skills assessing authority for your occupation.

Low English language's requirement for Global Talent Visa

The English language skill required for the Global Talent visa is only “functional English”, that is if you are taking the IELTS test for example, you only need an average band score of at least 4.5 based on the 4 test components. If you or any secondary applicant can not meet the required English language skill, you need to pay the second visa application charge before the visa can be granted.

For the employer-sponsored visa, RSMS (subclass 187) the English language skill required is “competent English” which is, for an IELTS test, getting a score of at least 6 for each of the 4 components.

NO age limit for Global Talent Visa applicants 

Unless an exemption applies, the age limit for the RSMS and the Employer Nominated (subclass 186) visas is 45 years old.

For the Global Talent Visa, there is no age limit but if you are over 55 years old you have to prove that you can bring exceptional economic benefit to Australia.

Faster processing times for Global Talent Visa 

The Global Talent Visa is a fast-tracked pathway to permanent residency, with visas being granted anywhere from 2 months to 4 months. Note though that it may take weeks or even months to get the invitation to apply for the visa.

Generally, however, the processing times for the Global Talent visa are still shorter than the RSMS and the ENS visas.

The current processing time for permanent residence employer-sponsored visas such the RSMS (Direct Entry Stream) is between 35-45 months, and for the ENS (Direct Entry Stream) it is between 6-11 months.

No Cost for Global Talent Visa in terms of sponsorship

While the Global Talent Visa applicant may get a job offer from an Australian organisation, the prospective Australian employer will not incur costs to become an approved sponsor, apply and pay for the nomination and pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy.

In short, if you are an exceptional talent, the Global Talent might be for you.

To check your eligibility, you can take our quick and free Global Talent assessment here.

Employer Sponsorship program and its benefits to employers and applicants

Even though Employer sponsorship program has a specific skilled occupation lists, the list has wide veriety of occupations which Global Talent Visa program does not have such as: Trades occupations (Motor mechanic, Chef, Cook, welder, electrician...), Professional occupations ( marketing specialist, financial broker...) or General practitioner, Hospitality (cafe or restaurant manager)

The big difference that distinguish applicants for global talent visa program from employer sponsorship program applicants is the High Income Threshold currently set at 158,500 AUD. This is a very high salary requirement which most applicants do not meet.

There are also a lot of applicants who have put it the expression of interest in the Global Talent Visa and they are not being considered in a timely manner. 

The processing time of Global Talent Visa program could meet some delay because of its popularity in 2022, it sometimes takes 6 to 12 months to process.

On the other side, Employer Sponsored Visa could be quicker to get someone into Australia and start working for the company. 

 For someone who were in Australia during the pandemic, a new visa 482 short-term pathway to PR 186 visa could be a good option for skilled workers who are finding a way to get 491 nomination.

Read more about new visa 482 changes in 2022 here>

Author:

Rosa Torrefranca, Immigration Lawyer at Work Visa Lawyers

Do you need help?

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your Australian visa or appeal.

Based in Adelaide South Australia, we provide Australian Immigration advice to people and businesses from all over the world.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Disclaimer

This information is correct at the time of publication but is subject to change without notice.  All information provided on this page is provided for purely educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.  For advice on your situation, please speak with an Immigration Lawyer or a Registered Migration Agent.

The general key criteria that an EOI must satisfy are well known:

• An applicant must be internationally recognised with evidence of outstanding achievements;
• They must be currently prominent in their field of expertise;
• They must provide evidence that they would be an asset to Australia in their area of expertise;
• They must show that they would have no difficulty obtaining employment in Australia or becoming established in their field;
• They must have a recognised organisation or individual with a national reputation in the same field in Australia nominate them as global talent; and,
• They must earn a salary over the Fair Work High Income Threshold (currently AUD158,600).

However, there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to satisfying those criteria. So, I’ll use the space below to paint a bit of a picture of what, in our experience, a successful applicant typically looks like.

如果您正在考虑全球人才签证（GTI 签证），您必须获得与您相同领域的专业人士的担保。该担保人可以代表您并且向移民局表达您在指定领域中的突出才能。这是全球人才签证GTI流程的关键部分，但经常被忽视。以下干货是关于如何寻找全球人才担保人：

Click here to read this in English

Click here to learn the criteria for the Global Talent Visa

 We have assisted many clients with their Global Talent Visa Expression of Interest (EOI). We understand that some people have already lodged their expressions of interest, but are wondering “How can I make my Global Talent EOI better?” We are passing on some of the tips we have learned along the way.

After lodging your Global Talent Visa Expression of Interest, more information can be provided to support your EOI by emailing it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you are sending more information to the Department, be sure to include your name, date of birth and passport number, so that the information can be linked properly.

The ways to improve your expression of interest are linked (necessarily) to the requirements for the Global Talent visa EOI.

This article is regularly updated. Last updated: Friday, 12th January 2024

As a permanent residency visa with relatively short processing times, the Global Talent Visa is as close to the gold standard of Australian visas as you can get. So why is your Expression of Interest (EOI) taking so long?

Click here to learn the criteria for the Global Talent Visa

Applying for the Global Talent Visa is a two-part process. Eligible applicants are required to submit an EOI setting out how they fulfil the eligibility criteria and, if they receive an invitation to apply for a visa, they can then submit an application. The processing of the EOIs used to be from a few days to 3 months if prioritised.While The processing times have lengthened in the last few months and, the visa applications themselves are still being processed in a matter of weeks anywhere between 6-11 months (as of January 2024).

Consideration of EOIs, on the other hand, has slowed substantially in the last year. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the Global Talent visa, the Department is receiving far more EOIs than they can process quickly. As of the start of September 2021 the Department advised that they are still considering EOIs received in October 2020 – a backlog of around 11 months. However, the processing times of the EOI has improved and as of the start of January 2024, the EOIs being considered are those submitted in September 2023. 

Those who did not provide sufficient information and documentation may have their applications delayed.

Historically, EOIs for certain sectors have been processed faster than others – financial services and FinTech being the fastest at around 2 months and AgriTech the slowest at about 5-6 months. However, we are currently seeing a slowdown across all sectors. Based on what we are seeing, EOIs for applicants with a strong salary (>AUD250,000) are being decided much faster than those with a salary only marginally higher than the Fair Work High Income Threshold (currently, AUD167,500).

The Global Talent visa is still the best visa option available for eligible applicants and the sooner you get your EOI submitted the sooner it will be decided upon.

You can fill in your details in our online form here for a free assessment of your prospects of receiving an EOI for the Global Talent visa.

Read more about the Global Talent Visa Program here.

Do you need help?

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your Australian visa or appeal.

Based in Adelaide South Australia, we provide Australian Immigration advice to people and businesses from all over the world.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You can also subscribe to our TikTok.  

Disclaimer

This information is correct at the time of publication but is subject to change without notice. All information provided on this page is provided for purely educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. For advice on your situation, please speak with an Immigration Lawyer or a Registered Migration Agent.

This article is updated regularly. Last updated: Friday, 5th January 2024

At Work Visa Lawyers, we understand that the Government’s processing times are important to your expectations and how you plan your life. Unfortunately, as with all visa processes, these are difficult to predict and are never guaranteed. We write about our experiences across many Global Talent visa applications, to help you to gain an understanding of the processing times which might lie ahead if you choose to pursue a Global Talent visa.

If you're an engineer, getting a nominator just got easier! In positive news for engineers with who fit the Global Talent visa criteria, Engineers Australia has been accepted as a certified nominating organisation for the Global Talent visa program. This means engineers who could not find a suitable nominator for the Global Talent visa can now apply to EA for a nominator.

If you are looking at the Global Talent visa (GTI visa) you must be nominated by a senior professional in your field. This person will vouch for you and can speak on your behalf about how your talent can bring benefit to Australia. This is a key part of the Global Talent visa process but one that is often overlooked. Here are our tips on how to find a Global Talent nominator.

Click here for Global Talent visa criteria

The Global Talent Visa is the Australian Government’s latest passion project with the nation more enthusiastic than ever to attract high-value enterprises and talented individuals to its shores.  A new Taskforce has been created to locate and prioritise high talent individuals, and a new ministerial direction sets out which areas of expertise Australia is looking for.

The migration planning level was released with the Federal Budget and the Global Talent Independent Visa was the big winner of the visa subclasses.

Congratulations to our latest Global Talent Visa client who obtained the subclass 858 visa in 6 to 7 weeks. Rob is now a proud Australian permanent resident and we are delighted to have assisted him with his visa application.

Click here to learn the criteria for the Global Talent Visa

If you think you may be eligible for a GTI visa, email your CV, a description of your prominence in one of the target sectors and your ability to attract the salary threshold to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Do you need help?

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your Australian visa or appeal.

Based in Adelaide South Australia, we provide Australian Immigration advice to people and businesses from all over the world.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In the past few weeks, some Australian states and territories have opened for state nomination with limited places. There is a big focus on nominating applicants with 'critical skills' to help Australia's economic recovery post-COVID.

The Australian Government has announced that they have created a new taskforce, the “Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce”, to bring business and skills to Australia.

This was announced on ABC News, and repeated by Minister Tudge in a tweet this morning (5 September 2020).

The Shepparton news reported that Peter Dutton told Nine News "It's OK that we've got support in place at the moment with JobKeeper and JobSeeker - that's fine and that's a good thing - but to get to the next stage we need to have investment."

Click here to learn the criteria for the Global Talent Visa

Minister Tudge placed heavy emphasis on the benefit of this Taskforce for Australian employment opportunities in his interview with ABC AM earlier this morning. It will combined efforts of:

• AusTrade
• State governments
• The Department of Home Affairs

The AFR has reported that the Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce will be led by Peter Verwer, previously the boss of the Property Council of Australia.

A working target for the Government is 1,000 or so such businesses.

Global Business and Talent Attraction: A new pathway to Australian permanent residence?

Along with the new The Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce comes a new webpage.

The main focus of the new Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce appears to be targeting the Moby Dicks of the business world, attracting very large businesses to be the next Atlassian or Canva.

As a whole of Government approach, the target businesses are likely to received prioritised processing and higher service standards than applicants through other pathways.

We expect that the announcement of the Taskforce will lead to an increased focus on the Global Talent Independent visa, as well as continued focus on the business and investment visa programs, such as the 188 visa and 132 visa. The Global Talent Employer Sponsored program is likely to be a key to helping these businesses fill labour needs where Australians are not available to fill the roles.

Expression of Interest for Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce

While the Global Talent Independent visa Expression of Interest is still available, the Government has released a new expression of interest for The Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce. The new expression of interest is more open-ended and does not indicate any strict requirements.

Benefits of the Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce

The Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce is intended to provide:

• Faster and easier access to Australian permanent residency
• More hands-on support for (prospective) migrants
• Advice and information to assist with the migration process
• One direct contact who will assist in liaising with several areas of Government to provide a "whole of Government" package

Requirements for the Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce

The Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce has indicated it is looking for:

• Top tier business leaders
• Globally talent professionals 

The new taskforce has not indicated any clear requirements.

The expression of interest does not request any income or salary details and does not have a list of target sectors to choose from.

As such, the Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce appears to be more open-ended than the Global Talent Independent visa program, which has 7 key target sectors and requires a salary (or potential salary) of AUD $153,600.

For businesses, it has been indicated that there will be a focus on "high yield businesses". We expect that this might include businesses such as:

• Consulting businesses
• Marketing businesses, including digital marketing
• IT and software development businesses
• Corporate and professional services businesses
• Financial businesses

This also indicates that the Department will be less interested in "high capital" businesses, such as manufacturing businesses.

Hong Kong and Global Talent - Where will the centre of Asia Business Be?

The Australian Government in many of its announcements has indicated a strong intention to attract business and talent from Hong Kong to move to Australia.

Hong Kong has been a key hub of business and trade in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. Australia seems to be looking to strengthen its position as such as hub in its own right, by attracting key players from Hong Kong to Australia.

Sydney, Australia has been highlighted as one of the top 10 cities for business in Asia Pacific. It is likely that this will continue to be a focal point for businesses looking to set up headquarters in Australia.

Other recent Global Talent visa initiatives

There are a range of recent initiatives already put in place by the Australian Government to attract and retain global talent. These are likely to form a part of the Taskforce’s initiatives to bring business and skills to Australia.

Global Talent Independent Visa

The Global Talent Independent visa is a thriving category which has been seeing more attention in recent months.

Established in November 2019, it has a yearly allocation of 5,000 positions to attract global talent to Australia from the following target sectors:

• AgTech
• Space and Advanced Manufacturing
• FinTech
• Energy and Mining Technology
• MedTech
• Cyber Security
• Quantum Information, Advanced Digital, Data Science and ICT

This forms a part of the 3 visa products highlighted for global talent attraction.

A recent FOI disclosure indicated that 100% of 38 visa applications for global talent from offshore were approved, and that there were 144 onshore 858 visa approvals out of 162 lodgements. It is not clear exactly what period of the program these statistics relate to.

Global Talent Employer Sponsored

A substantial, but less talked-about program is the Global Talent Employer Sponsored program. This program might support the labour needs of the big businesses which the Australian Government is hoping to attract to Australia with the new Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce.

South Australia pushing for Innovation and Global Talent

South Australia has identified itself in the Australian market as a strong contender for business innovation and headquarters for Hi-Tech developments. There are several programs pushing to develop this further.

Key Growth Sectors for South Australia

South Australia has a number of significant industries which, while many have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, will continue to be important to the growth of South Australia going forward.

These include:

• Tourism
• International education
• Defence industry
• Food, wine and agribusiness
• Hi-Tech
• Health and medical industries
• Energy and mining
• Space industry
• Creative industries

SISA 408 Visa - Supporting Innovation in South Australia

The Supporting Innovation in South Australia stream of the 408 visa is a program specifically designed to encourage innovative businesses operating in South Australia.

It is a temporary visa program for those looking to run businesses in South Australia, with a key focus on the following fields:

• Defense and Space
• Cybersecurity, big data, digital and blockchain
• Food, wine, and ag. Tech
• Health and medical technology
• Robotics
• Media and film

A key benefit of the program is the involvement of innovation hubs and the Chief Entrepreneur.

Lot Fourteen

Lot Fourteen is a business and innovation hub located on North Terrace in the middle of Adelaide CBD, South Australia.

As an innovation hub, Lot Fourteen is home to a range of businesses operating in the growth areas highlighted above. 

A key feature of Lot Fourteen is the Australian Space Agency which opened at Lot Fourteen in February 2020.

Do you need help?

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your Australian visa or appeal.

Based in Adelaide South Australia, we provide Australian Immigration advice to people and businesses from all over the world.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The world is changing quickly and to keep up with it, we have some updates for you on the Global Talent Independent visa.

Click here to learn the criteria for the Global Talent Visa

Effects of Coronavirus on GTI visa

Processing Times for Global Talent Visa

The Global Talent Independent program has been held up as the fastest way to get a permanent visa in Australia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing the Expression of Interest processing times slowing down for some applicants. This seems to be especially the case for applicants who are applying from outside of Australia.

This may be due to the Department prioritising Global Talents who are already inside Australia.

What impacts Global Talent visa processing times?

There are a number of factors which might be contributing to current processing times.

The Department's priorities for global talent visa processing are set out in Direction No. 85.

This specifies that for distinguished talent applications, they are to be considered in the following order:

1. Priority 1 (the following are equal in priority):
   1. You have an Australian job offer paying higher than the $158,500 Fair Work High Income Threshold, or
   2. You are currently earning more than the $158,500 Fair Work High Income Threshold
   3. You can show that you are likely to attract a salary greater than the $158,500 Fair Work High Income Threshold
2. Priority 2:
   1. All other distinguished talent applications

The Department has indicated in its information that "likely to attract" can be shown in a number of ways, including through high grades (80% or higher) in a recent higher level qualification (Honours, Masters, PhD).

Priority for Hong Kong Candidates?

In its announcements to support Hong Kong SAR passport-holders, the Department has included references to the Global Talent Independent visa. It seems that the Department of Home Affairs will be prioritising GTI visa applications (even more so than the normal priority given to GTI) for Hong Kong SAR passport-holders.

Australian Computer Society (ACS) Nominations

We are still waiting on further information from the ACS regarding their nomination process.

We have recently been updated that ACS will nominate those who have been invited through the Expression of Interest process.

If you are looking to be nominated by ACS under one of their target sectors, read more about the process by clicking here.

We look forward to having further updates on this soon.

How can Work Visa Lawyers help?

Work Visa Lawyers can help you with all steps in the Global Talent Independent visa application process, including with applications for nomination from the ACS.

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your Australian visa or appeal.

Contact us on (08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Book an appointment with one of our experienced Immigration Lawyers and Registered Migration Agents here.

Sources

• https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/global-talent-independent-visa-video.html
• https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/services/global-talent-distinguished-talent-visas.html
• https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/why-the-australian-global-talent-independent-visa-is-so-hot-right-now.html
• https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/acs-nomination-global-talent-visa.html
• https://www.sbs.com.au/news/how-a-little-known-visa-program-could-be-the-answer-for-hongkongers-hoping-to-move-to-australia

The Global Talent Independent (GTI) visa is an easy pathway to Australian permanent residency for those that can qualify. Often, potential GTI applicants will have met all of the requirements but are unable to find a nominator. One of the most common barriers that GTI applicants may encounter, especially offshore applicants, is locating an Australian person or organisation to nominate them. As the national body for the ICT sector, the Australian Computer Society (ACS) is willing to provide nominations for GTI applicants. 

Click here to learn the criteria for the Global Talent Visa

One of the requirements of a GTI visa is for the applicant to be nominated by an Australian person or organisation who has a national reputation in the same field as the applicant. For many offshore GTI applicants, this requirement may be difficult especially when they have not had the chance to network with people in their field.

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has recently indicated that they will be providing nominations for some applicants for the GTI visa program.

They are focused on the following target sectors:

• Cyber Security
• Quantum Information
• Advanced Digital
• Data Science 
• ICT

The cost for this service is currently set at AUD $500, to account for time spent assessing the candidate.

They are open to nominating applicants who are both overseas or in Australia.

ACS Nomination Process

Step 1: Lodge an Expression of Interest with the Department of Home Affairs.

Step 2: If eligible, the Department of Home Affairs will provide a Global Talent Identifier number.

Step 3: Send your CV to ACS with an explanation of your relevant qualifications, skills and experience in one of the sectors above.

Step 4: If suitable, ACS will progress your application and ask for the nomination fee. Further information may be requested. You may need to attend an interview with ACS.

Step 5: ACS will complete the nomination form and provide you with a nomination letter for the visa application.

The ACS will be nominating candidates who can show they will be an asset to their industry in Australia. This will be an advocacy driven process, in a similar way to the GTI visa program as a whole. Therefore it is important that any submissions for a nomination from ACS will demonstrate the applicant's skills and expertise in their relevant field.

How can Work Visa Lawyers help?

Work Visa Lawyers can help you with all steps in the Global Talent visa application process, including with applications for nomination from the ACS.

Our team of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents look forward to assisting you with your Australian visa or appeal.

Contact us on (08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Book an appointment with one of our experienced Immigration Lawyers and Registered Migration Agents here.