Global Talent Independent Program

To be considered for an invitation to apply under the program, you need to demonstrate that you are highly skilled in one of the following 10 target sectors:

1. Resources
2. Agri-food and AgTech
3. Energy
4. Health industries
5. Defence, advanced manufacturing and space
6. Circular economy
7. Digitech
8. Infrastructure and tourism
9. Financial services and FinTech
10. Education

To be eligible to apply for the Global Talent Independent program and receive invitation:

• Applicants show that they are globally known with proof of excellent and outstanding achievements.
• Applicant are prominent in their field of expertise
• Applicants provide evidence that they would be an asset to Australia, in their field of expertise
• Applicants have no difficulty in obtaining employment in Australia.
• They are endorsed as global talent by a recognised organisation or person in Australia in the same field as the applicant.

Applicants must follow a high standard and display an excellent record of professional and outstanding accomplishments. This can include senior positions, patents, professional awards, international journals, media articles and international membership.

In order to be considered for GTI program, you would have to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) directly to the Department of Immigration website.

To be eligible to apply for a Distinguished Talent visa through the Global Talent Independent program, you must be formally invited by the Australian Department of Immigration. Applicants may submit an Expression of Interest through the website of the Department of Immigration.

Please note that the Distinguished Talent pathway may be another option , however there are very few limited places available

You must be nominated by an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, an eligible New Zealand citizen or an Australian organisation with a national reputation in the same field as you, in order to apply for a Distinguished Talent visa.

The nominator must attest to your accomplishments and international status and is not necessary to provide you with employment or to assist you in Australia to become settled.

If you have lodged your visa application, you can not change your nominator.

Please note that from 20 January 2021, Masters and Bachelor with Honours graduates are no longer eligible for invitation to the Global Talent Independent program on the basis of their qualifications. This applies regardless of the date you submitted your EOI. However if you can demonstrate that you have the ability to attract a salary at or above the Fair Work High Income Threshold of; AUD $ 153,600 , Master or Bachelor with Honours graduates can still apply for Global Talent Independent Program.

Please note that from 20 January 2021, Masters and Bachelor with Honours graduates are no longer eligible for invitation to the Global Talent Independent program on the basis of their qualifications. This applies regardless of the date you submitted your EOI. However if you can demonstrate that you have the ability to attract a salary at or above the Fair Work High Income Threshold of; AUD $ 153,600 , Master or Bachelor with Honours graduates can still apply for Global Talent Independent Program.

If you have already received your invitation reference identifier, you will still be eligible to apply for a Distinguished Talent (subclass 858) visa.

From 20 January 2021, PhD students must provide evidence that they are close to completing their PhD, and that they have a prior record of exceptional and outstanding professional achievement. All PhD students must also provide evidence that their qualification meets Australian standards. They must provide evidence that shows they are exceptional and outstanding, and that their research has international significance.

There are two pathways within the Distinguished Talent visa:

1. The Global Talent pathway; and
2. The Distinguished Talent pathway

The Distinguished Talent pathway has a very small number of annual places (200 places in 2020-21) and is subject to overwhelming demand. The program is only for the most exceptional and outstanding individuals. The current average processing time for the Distinguished Talent program is 12-16 months.

Please note that Distinguished Talent visa applications lodged prior to issuing of a Global Talent Invitation reference identifier and Invitation code will not receive priority processing.

Global Talent Independent visa applicants are required to provide evidence of functional English, unless the applicant is a passport holder of the following countries:

1. Canada
2. New Zealand
3. the Republic of Ireland
4. the United Kingdom
5. the United States of America

There is an exception for any primary applicant who is under 18 at the time of application.

Yes – all applicants applying for a Distinguished Talent visa are required to undertake health examinations to demonstrate they meet the health requirement. In some circumstances, family members who are not coming to Australia with the applicants might also need to undertake health examinations.

As part of the character requirement, applicants over 17 are required to provide police clearances from all the countries/regions where they have been residing for over 12 months (cumulatively) in the past 10 years.

Police clearances can be provided after lodging your visa application. However, as processing times for obtaining police clearances in certain countries/regions can be very long, you are encouraged to apply for the police clearances in advance and provide them when you lodge your visa application.

You can include members of the family unit when you apply. You can also add family to your application at any time before we decide on your application. Family members who apply for the visa must meet our health and character requirements.

You are a member of the main applicant's family unit if you are:

1. the main applicant's spouse or de facto partner
2. the main applicant's child, or their partner's child, who is not engaged, married or in a de facto relationship and is aged under 18 or aged between 18 to 23 and dependent on the main applicant or the main’s applicant partner or aged 23 years or older and dependent on the main applicant or the main applicant's partner due to a partial or total physical or mental disability
3. the dependent child of the child above

If you are under 18 years old, you can include:

1. Parent
2. Members of the family unit of that parent.