Australian Immigration Daily News

Global Talent Scheme (GTS) is a pilot program launched on 1 July 2018 by the Department of Home Affairs. The scheme will run for approximately 12 months and if successful, full implementation is expected by June 2019.

Briefly, GTS is part of the longer term strategy by the Australian Government to attract talent, the world’s best and brightest. In March 2018, the Government announced 2 pilot schemes targeted at supporting talent and innovation in Australia. These schemes are the Global Talent Scheme and Supporting Innovation in South Australia. Together, these aim to support business growth, skills transfer and job creation by attracting highly-skilled global talent to help foster innovative businesses in Australia.

These will support innovation in different ways:

The Global Talent Scheme will provide:

• businesses, including Australian startups, with a way to sponsor highly-skilled and specialised workers not covered by the standard Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482) program
• the cutting-edge skills Australia needs to compete globally.

The Supporting Innovation in South Australia scheme

• will help support South Australia to attract foreign entrepreneurs to take forward innovative ideas.

GTS – Main Features

As mentioned earlier, GTS is available for employers to fill in highly skilled positions that cannot be filled locally by Australian workers or by utilising other visa programs, in particular, short and medium-term streams of the TSS (482 Visa). It is worthwhile noting that access to GTS is not a guarantee. Access to GTS is by invitation only by the Australian government under the agreement stream of the TSS Visa.

As part of negotiations, an employer must demonstrate that GTS agreement will create first and foremost opportunities for Australian staff or transfer skills and knowledge to Australian workers. An employer must demonstrate how these opportunities are being realised throughout the life of any GTS agreement.

Two Streams Available

• Established Business stream 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

• Startup stream allows employers to sponsor highly-skilled individuals with cutting-edge skills to contribute to Australia's developing startup ecosystem and bring new ideas, new jobs, new skills and new technology for Australia. This stream is for startups operating in a technology based or STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) related field. Startups must be endorsed by the independent GTS startup advisory panel.

Eligibility Criteria – Employer (Established Business)

• Demonstrate that access to the GTS will support job opportunities and skills transfer for Australians
• Labour market testing evidence for the specific positions as part of request for a GTS agreement
• The employer must be in good standing with relevant regulatory agencies, including compliance with immigration and workplace laws
• Must be publicly listed or have an annual turnover of at least $4 million for each of the past 2 years
• Be endorsed as a TSS accredited sponsor

Eligibility Criteria – Employer (Startup)

• Demonstrate that access to the GTS will support job opportunities and skills transfer for Australians
• Labour market testing evidence for the specific positions as part of request for a GTS agreement
• The employer must be in good standing with relevant regulatory agencies, including compliance with immigration and workplace laws
• Operates in a technology based or STEM-related field (eg digital, biomedical, agtech)
• Independent startup advisory panel will assess and endorse the business as a viable and genuine startup

Eligibility Criteria – Applicant (Established Business)

• Must meet health, character and security requirements
• No familial relationship with directors/shareholders
• Qualifications must be commensurate with the highly skilled role
• At least 3 years work experience directly relevant to position
• Capacity to pass on skills/develop Australians
• Position must have minimum annual earnings equivalent to the Fair Work High Income Threshold ($145,400 as at 1 July 2018)

Eligibility Criteria – Applicant (Startup)

• Must meet health, character and security requirements
• No familial relationship with directors/shareholders
• Qualifications must be commensurate with the highly skilled role
• At least 3 years work experience directly relevant to position
• Capacity to pass on skills/develop Australians
• Minimum annual earnings at the market salary rate, but not less than $80,000
• This can include equity, but must have a cash component that is no less than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (currently $53,900).

The main features under both streams include access to certain number of positions per year, transitional pathway to permanent residency and as faster processing times.

If your business meets all of the above criteria for the stream you are interested in, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the following information:

• Business name and ABN/ACN
• Description of the positions required not available or are restricted on the eligible skilled occupations lists.

The Department of Home Affairs will assess requests within 6 to 11 business days. Nominations will be decided within 5 business days. Visas will also be decided within 5 business days.

For help please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.