Australia’s New Visa Programme Aims To Benefit Indian Students, Professionals

Australia and India are advancing bilateral relations with the introduction of the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES), launching in late 2024. This initiative offers new opportunities to Indian university graduates and early-career professionals from top Indian universities to live and work in Australia for up to two years.

Through the MATES programmes, Indian nationals in fields such as renewable energy, mining, engineering, information technology, artificial intelligence, financial technology, and agricultural technology can apply for a Temporary Work (International Relations) (Subclass 403) visa. The scheme aims to bridge workforce gaps in Australian industry by granting employers access to highly skilled Indian talent.

Each year, 3,000 temporary visa places will be allocated under a transparent, equitable visa ballot process, allowing fair access to the programme. The visa also permits eligible participants to bring dependants, who will have work rights without affecting the annual cap.

Assistant Minister for Immigration, Matt Thistlethwaite, emphasised that MATES is the central component of the Australia-India Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement. 

“MATES supports our migration priorities by attracting India’s talented graduates with in-demand skills, benefiting both nations by fostering professional growth in relevant Australian sectors,” he said.

MATES applicants must be 30 or younger, have recently graduated from an eligible institution, have not previously participated in MATES, and demonstrate English proficiency (overall IELTS or equivalent score of at least 6, with a minimum score of 5 for each of the four parts).