Global Talent Independent (GTI) program visa
The Global Talent (subclass 858) visa is part of the Global Talent Independent Skilled visa program. The visa allows highly skilled and talented individuals in target industries to migrate permanently to Australia. You must be nominated by an eligible individual or Australian organisation/business.
What is the GTI (Global Talent) visa program?
The GTI program is a streamlined pathway for highly skilled candidates in specific industry sectors (places are also available for exceptionally talented, recent PhD graduates). There is a set number of places available for the program each year.
To be eligible under this streamlined program, you must be able to attract an Australian salary that is at least the Fair Work High Income Threshold of AUD167,500 (this figure is adjusted annually on 1 July) AND be highly skilled in one of the following target industry sectors:
Target sectors
- Energy
- Education
- Health Industries
- DigiTech
- Financial Services/FinTech
- Agri-food/AgTech
- Defence, Advanced Manufacturing and Space
- Circular Economy
- Infrastructure and Tourism
- Resources
Expected salary threshold
Fair Work Australia reviews and sets the ‘high-income threshold’ for salaries each fiscal year. At present, the threshold has been set at $167,500.
The Department of Home Affairs assesses the ability of each individual applicant to earn at least this salary, based on:
- Their current salary
- Any formal job (and salary) offer they have received
- Salary information for recent Masters or doctoral graduates in the target sectors
How can I apply for a GTI Program visa?
In order to be able to apply for a GTI Program visa, you should:
- be nominated by an Australian citizen, permanent resident, eligible New Zealand citizen, or Australian organisation/business. (Your nominator must be nationally recognised in your field, and endorse your achievements and international standing);
- have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in a profession or academia and research within a target industry (and be still prominent in that field);
- be an asset to the Australian community (if under 18 or over 55 years of age, you must demonstrate that you would be of exceptional benefit to the Australian community);
- have no difficulty in obtaining employment in Australia or establishing yourself independently in your field; and
- meet the relevant health and good character criteria
Use our Global Talent assessment form to have one of our qualified migration agents advise whether you may be eligible for a GTI Program visa.
Application Process
In order to qualify for GTI program consideration, you need to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI), which sets out how you meet the relevant requirements. If successful in your EOI, the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) will invite you to apply for the subclass 858 – Global Talent visa and will provide you with a ‘unique identifier’ for your visa application.
Stage 1: Initial Eligibility Assessment
We will first conduct an initial assessment of your eligibility for this visa. This involves reviewing your qualifications, work experience, English language and other circumstances, to establish whether or not you are likely to meet the relevant requirements.
We will then provide you with informed and comprehensive advice about your ability to meet the minimum standards, including Global Talent Independent Visa Program consideration, that DOHA requires migrants to fulfil in order to qualify to apply for this visa.
Note: Our initial assessment of your eligibility does not guarantee that you will (or will not) in fact be issued an invitation to apply for this visa or successfully apply for this visa. Whether or not DOHA issues you with an invitation to apply for a visa, or grants you a visa, will depend upon whether you meet the EOI and/or visa criteria.
Stage 2: Expression of Interest
Once your eligibility for this visa has been determined, we will prepare and lodge your EOI. At this time, you will need to specify your nominator and provide your nominator’s completed form and supporting evidence. You must also provide supporting documents regarding your international standing and record of achievement in your field.
If your GTI program EOI is successful, you will then be invited to lodge a subclass 858 – Global Talent visa application.
Stage 3. Visa Application
If you have been successful in a Global Talent Independent Visa EOI, and DOHA has invited you to apply for this visa, we will prepare and lodge your visa application within the specified time frame, together with all of the documents that support the information that you provided in your EOI. Your visa application will include a unique identifier to streamline processing by DOHA. The main criterion is that you meet the requirements referred to above.
You may be in or outside Australia when applying for this visa. However, you may be ineligible to apply in Australia if you do not hold the required type of visa, hold or held an ineligible visa, or have previously been refused a visa (or had your visa cancelled).
Should your visa application be approved, you will be granted a permanent visa. You may be either in Australia or overseas when this visa is granted.
PLEASE NOTE: We estimate that it may take several weeks to prepare and lodge your application, with the time taken largely dependent on how promptly you provide us with the necessary supporting information and documents.
The time that it takes DOHA to process your application is dependent upon its processing time service standards, and may also vary due to a number of other factors, including the complexity of your case, perceived risk factors and processing priorities. Please contact us for current information regarding likely processing timeframes for this type of application.
What is the Distinguished Talent Visa?
The Distinguished Talent Pathway allows individuals with an internationally recognised record of achievement in their field of expertise, or those who have provided specialised assistance to the Australian Government in the matters of security, to migrate permanently to Australia. You must be nominated by an eligible individual or Australian organisation/business, or endorsed by the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Global Business and Talent Attraction or Director-General responsible for national security.
When applying for this pathway, the Department will consider:
- Your contribution – it must be of benefit to the Australian community, the Australian economy, the social, cultural standing of Australia or raise Australia’s standing in academia, the arts or sport.
- You must be internationally recognised, and you must be prominent in your field for the past two years.
- You must able be able to show that you can find work in your area of expertise in Australia.
- You must have a nominator. The nominator must have a national reputation in the same field as you.
Victor Organero
GradCertMigLaw (VU),
Juris Doctor -Master of Laws (current) – MARN 1796030
If you would like to discuss your Distinguished Talent / Global Talent visa eligibility send an email to [email protected] or book a time here.
