Australian businesses and start-ups will have streamlined access to the best and brightest talent from around the world with the continuation of the Global Talent – Employer Sponsored program (GTES), formerly the Global Talent Scheme.
Following a successful pilot last financial year, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman has made the GTES an ongoing program.
Mr Coleman said the pilot showed the GTES has strong support from industry and highlighted the economic benefits of recruiting overseas talent directly to Australian businesses.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said making the program permanent would give the technology sector the certainty it needs to grow.
23 GTES agreements have been entered into with companies seeking to fill specialised positions. The GTES agreements last five years and provide access for up to 20 highly-skilled visa applicants per year for established businesses and five per year for start-ups.
Online graphic design business Canva is one of Australia’s most valuable and successful start-ups and has been involved in the GTES pilot.
CEO and cofounder of Canva Melanie Perkins said the program has helped to fill critical roles in the multi-billion dollar business.
The Start-up Advisory Panel will continue to be a key feature of the ongoing GTES program.
The Panel endorses eligible start-ups for access to the scheme and enables start-ups access to the critical skills required to advance their businesses and create more jobs for Australians.
Chair of the Start-up Advisory Panel, Alex McCauley, said the continuation of the GTES is great news for high growth young businesses in Australia.
Q-CTRL Pty Ltd, a company at the forefront of the emerging quantum computing industry, has had an agreement in place in the Startup stream since November 2018.
CEO and Founder of Q-CTRL Michael Biercuk said that Australia has an opportunity to build global-scale companies in quantum technology, and doing so requires global-scale searches for highly skilled talent.
The Department of Home Affairs aims to finalise all GTES agreements within two weeks of a complete application being submitted, allowing businesses to fill critical vacancies quickly.
Businesses applying for the program are required to demonstrate they are unable to source Australian workers for the roles they are seeking to fill.