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Global Talent Visa Questions Answered


Update (October 2026)

The Global Talent visa was replaced by the National Innovation visa (which keeps subclass 858) on 7 December 2024. The target sectors, allocations and Global Talent Officer arrangements described below no longer apply; see our National Innovation visa page for current criteria.

The GTI program aims to attract highly skilled and talented individuals from one of the ten target sectors. These are:

  • Resources
  • Agri-food and AgTech
  • Energy
  • Health Industries
  • Defence, Advanced Manufacturing and Space
  • Circular Economy
  • DigiTech
  • Infrastructure and Tourism
  • Financial Services and FinTech
  • Education

For the 2020-21 migration program, 15,000 spots were allocated to the GTI program.

The Department has deployed Global Talent Officers (GTO) in London, Shanghai, Singapore, and Washington DC to promote the GTI program. But, due to COVID-19, the GTOs are continuing their role in Australia. A GTO can provide information and clarify any queries you have regarding the GTI program. However, it is not a requirement that an applicant must speak to a GTO before applying.

The EOI is a form that has been streamlined by the Department to assess an applicant’s eligibility for the visa program. The applicant can fill out the EOI using the Global Talent contact form. The form will ask for a variety of questions to assess the applicant’s eligibility. These include:

  • Personal details
  • Evidence of global talent – industry, occupation title, employer
  • Current salary
  • Educational background
  • Evidence of an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievements.
  • Information on the nominator

The applicant may also attach any relevant documents to the EOI.

As the form’s purpose is to determine eligibility, it is essential to highlight the outstanding and exceptional achievements by attaching relevant documents.

To update the EOI, the applicant can send an email to [email protected]. When sending the email, the applicant should include crucial details such as name, date of birth and passport number so that the Department can link the additional information to the correct EOI application.

COVID-19 has caused a delay in processing the EOI, however, all applicants will be notified of the EOI outcome via email.

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There is no quota in place per targeted sector, however, individuals who can contribute Australia’s economic growth post-pandemic are highly sought after. These include individuals in MedTech, FinTech and Advanced Manufacturing sector. In the 2019-2020 Migration Program, the break down of grants per targeted sector were as follow:

  • Quantum Information, Advanced Digital, Data Science and ICT (28%)
  • MedTech (26%)
  • Energy and Mining Technology (20%)
  • AgTech (9%)
  • Space and Advanced Manufacturing (8%)
  • FinTech (6%)
  • Cybersecurity (3%)

The government allocated 15,000 spots for the GTI program. However, there is no quota in place per countries of origin.

The eligibility criteria for the GTI program can be broken down into a few different sections.

  1. The applicant must be highly skilled in one of the ten targeted sectors.
  2. The applicant must demonstrate that he/she is internationally recognised and prominent in his/her field of expertise. The applicant must be an asset to Australia and show that he/she has no difficulty obtaining employment in Australia.
  3. Have a nominator.
  4. The applicant must have the ability to attract a salary of $162,000.

Applicants who can meet the above criteria are encouraged to apply. However, it is also vital to remember that the applicants are ranked against each other meeting the minimum requirement does not guarantee a spot in the GTI Program.

Global Talent Independent changes – Masters and Honours students (from 20 January 2021)

Global Talent Independent program now prevent Masters and Honours students from receiving an invitation, based solely on their academic qualifications.

This policy change affects all future EOI assessments, and applies to EOI submissions made by candidates who have not yet received an invitation to the Global Talent program by 20 January 2021.

EOI candidates who submitted an EOI prior to the policy changes and have not been invited are encouraged to review their eligibility and to consider applying again when they meet the new requirements.

New eligibility requirements:

Applicants must demonstrate that they are highly skilled in one of the target sectors and:

  • prove they are internationally recognised with evidence of outstanding and exceptional achievements
  • still be prominent in their field of expertise
  • provide evidence that they would be an asset to Australia, in their field of expertise
  • have no difficulty obtaining employment in Australia or becoming established in their field
  • have a recognised organisation or individual in Australia endorse them as global talent, in the same field as the applicant.

Applicants must meet a high standard and show an exceptional track-record of professional and outstanding achievements. This may include senior roles, patents, professional awards, international publications, media articles and international memberships.

Applicants should have the ability to attract a salary at or above the Fair Work high income threshold.

In assessing the applicant the Department considers:

  • current salary shown through payslips or a contract, or
  • future job offers outlining remuneration, or
  • recent PhD graduates and certain PhD students with relevant qualifications in the target sectors.

Recent graduates must have an overall grade-point average of 80 (or above) to meet the minimum requirement. This is stated in the policy; thus, it must be met. As such if the applicant GPA is 79, then the applicant would not be eligible.

The applicant must show the ability to attract a salary of $162,000. As such, the applicant does not need to prove that he/she is earning the above amount at the time of application. There are different ways an applicant can prove this. Some of them include:

  • Job offers which meet the income threshold.
  • Suitable job advertisements in Australia that match the applicant’s qualification and experience.
  • If the applicant is a recent graduate, they can show evidence of suitable roles in the targeted sector.

Applicants who hold a BVA cannot apply for the GTI program as they would not be eligible to apply for the Distinguished Talent Visa. Onshore applicant must hold a substantive visa before submitting the EOI.

COVID- 19

Due to the COVID-19, the processing time for most visas and EOI have been delayed. Global Talent Officers posted overseas are now working in Australia.

Related:

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.

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