From July 1, 2023, Indian graduates from Australian tertiary institutions can apply to work in Australia for up to eight years. The new visa rules are a result of a bilateral agreement signed between India and Australia last month.
According to media reports, a key feature of this agreement is the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-Professionals Scheme (MATES). Under this scheme, 3,000 annual spots will be available for young professionals from India which will allow them to spend two years in the country without the need of sponsors for a visa.
As part of the migration agreement, Australians aiming to conduct research in India can now apply for an S-5 visa, allowing them to stay in India for up to three years or for the duration of their research project .
The MATES visa is a temporary visa program that accommodates recent pass-outs or graduates from established and accredited Indian universities with degrees in specialized fields of study. The fee and visa processing time for the MATES visa has not yet been announced.
Fields eligible for MATES visa include engineering, mining, financial technology, artificial intelligence, information and communication technology, agricultural technology, renewable energy.
Eligibility for MATES Visa
To get a MATES visa, the candidate must be below 31 years of age, must be a graduate from a recognized and verified university, must be a recent pass-out and must be at an early stage of their career.
From July 1, 2023, international higher education graduates with qualifying qualifications will be granted work rights for an additional two years after study. This extension will allow eligible international higher education graduates an additional two years on their temporary graduate visa (subclass 485).
This extension is in addition to the existing additional one to two years of work rights for eligible students studying, living and working in regional areas.