New Bilateral Immigration Deal Between India And Australia Promises Better Mobility For Students

• Graduates with Australian student visas can now apply for work without sponsorship for 8 years.
• Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES), will allow 3,000 eligible graduates in India annually to live and work in Australia. 
• Eligible candidates can apply for Australian immigration under the new mobility plan from July 1. 
• Australia increased its 2023 intake of permanent migrants to 195,000. 

The cricket-loving nations of India and Australia further strengthened their friendly bilateral ties with the signing of new mobility and migration partnership pact, during the recent three-day visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The 10-page migration agreement included new visa options (extend or apply) to boost mobility for students, graduates, academics, professionals, and business classes. 

The former Australia India Business Council chair, Sheba Nandkeolyar, noted 

“Mr. Modi has been very overt about the fact that India has much to offer the world. He has said that India is literally going to be the workforce for the world – whether it be doctors, engineers, STEM, technology.” 

“It’s going to benefit Australia greatly to have even more talented, capable, educated, professionally qualified people. As the Indian-Australian community grows, it is becoming really critical to get Australia and India to strengthen areas of co-operation.“

Indian Graduates can now Work in Australia for up to 8 Years

Indian graduates who have gained their education from any Australian tertiary institute on a student visa can easily apply to pursue professional development and work in Australia. They can apply without any visa sponsorship for up to eight years.

New Immigration Pilot Program Launched

The deal announced a new pilot program, Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) with an annual cap of 3000 places for the next 4 years.

New career professionals or recent graduates who studied and trained in India in selected educational fields shall apply. They will be considered to work and live for up to 2 years in Australia without sponsorship. 

The first list of eligible educational qualifications covers 

• Engineering
• Renewable Energy
• ICT
• Mining
• Artificial Intelligence
• AgriTech
• FinTech

A joint working group will be set up to include more education qualifications and expand the future MATES scope. 

How to Apply for a Work Visa in Australia 

Sponsorship to stay and work in Australia depends on the type of work visa you apply for after graduation. 

The new mobility and migration partnership pact will create more opportunities for young people and early career professionals from India as it increases the length of stay in Australia.

Indian-borns Constitute the Second Largest Migrant Community in Australia

The Indian-born population is the second-largest migrant community in Australia after the United Kingdom. Australia hosts a 750,000-strong Indian diaspora, equivalent to 9.5 percent of Australia’s overseas-born population.

The Indian community in Australia is the fastest-growing migrant group in Australia, increasing five-fold in the last 20 years. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, just under 60,000 people arrived in Australia from India in 2021-22. Close to 784,000 Australians have Indian ancestry, equivalent to 3.1 percent of the total population.

India is Australia’s sixth largest trading partner with two-way trade in goods and services valued at $46.5 billion in 2022. India is also a reliable ally in defense & security. Therefore, the scope for Indians to work & settle in Australia shall remain in demand.

Book your free appointment with CanApprove today and determine your best chances for immigration to Australia!