On 6 December 2024, the National Innovation (Subclass 858) visa was released – for more information see our article here. While the legislative criteria remains very similar to the former Global Talent (Subclass 858) visa, the visa introduced a mandatory expression of interest (EOI) and invitation process.
Individuals familiar with the former Global Talent Independent (GTI) program (see here), would be familiar with the EOI system, however there have been modifications as to the priority sectors that the Department are now targeting.
Specifically, the Department have set four priority groups with which they will extend invitations (priority one being the highest).
What are the four priority groups?
The NIV has four priority groups set out on their website here. They are:
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Priority 1 |
Exceptional candidates from any sector who are global experts and recipients of international ‘top of field’ level awards, these include (but are not limited to):
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Priority 2 |
Candidates from any sector nominated on the approved Form 1000 by an expert Australian Commonwealth, State or Territory Government agency. This may include:
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Priority 3 |
Candidates with exceptional and outstanding achievements in a Tier One sector (see more here):
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Priority 4 |
Candidates with exceptional and outstanding achievements in a Tier Two sector (see more here):
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Factors that may satisfy the “exceptional and outstanding achievements” include the following:
- Recipients of national research grants such as: Australian Research Council grants, Department of Education Accelerator grants, or equivalent level grants from other countries (i.e. funding from EU Commission, US National Science Foundation, UK Research and Innovation Grants program etc.)
- PhD holders with high-levels of academic influence or though leadership such as:
- recent publications in top ranked journals, for example Nature, Lancet or Acta Numerica
- a high h-index for their stage of career, for example an early career researcher with a h-index of 14
- a research-based degree from a top global university, for example, ranked in the top 100 World University Rankings by Times Higher Education.
- Recent keynote appearances at high-profile international conferences such as: Web Summit, Internactional Congress of Mathematics, AACR, International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium etc;
- Earning at or above the FWHIT (currently AUD 175,000).
The above are just examples, while each case will be determined on their individual merits.
What constitutes a Tier One sector?
There are three Tier One Priority Sectors. These have been elaborated on by the Department below:
Critical Technologies
- advanced information and communication technology
- advanced manufacturing and materials technology
- artificial intelligence technology
- autonomous systems
- biotechnology
- clean energy generation and storage technology
- cyber security technology
- quantum technology
- photonics
- robotics
- positioning, timing and sensing technology.
Renewables and low emission technologies
- bio-methane production
- circular economy innovations
- clean energy technology
- emission reduction and carbon storage
- green metals
- low-carbon liquid fuels
- processing and refining of critical minerals
- renewable energy generation
- transmission, distribution or storage
- renewable hydrogen
- Waste to Energy (WtE) technology.
Health Industries
- antimicrobial resistance
- artificial intelligence in health
- biochemistry and cell biology
- biotechnology
- genomics
- emerging health threats and emergencies
- health economics
- implantable and wearable devices
- infectious disease prevention
- pharmaceuticals and precision medicine
- medical science manufacturing for therapeutic products.
What constitutes a Tier Two sector?
There are six Tier Two Priority Sectors. These have been elaborated on by the Department below:
Agri-food and AgTech
- biotechnology
- biosecurity and disease management
- farm management technology
- food technology
- processing primary industry outputs into higher value goods
- innovation and sustainability in agriculture, forestry and fisheries
- manufacturing of products for use in or connection with primary industries.
Education
- senior management of universities and higher learning institutions
- senior academics and researchers at Australian academic level D or E (or international equivalent).
Defence Capabilities and Space
- development, manufacturing and sustainment of products that are inputs to defence capability
- electromagnetic technologies
- propulsion systems
- space objects
- space systems engineering
- space sector enabling skills.
Financial Services and FinTech
- innovations in application programming
- blockchain engineering
- cloud technologies
- FinTech cyber and data security
- financial data science and analysis
- software engineering.
Infrastructure and Transport
- innovative manufacturing and technologies to support the development of the transport sector
- large and complex transport infrastructure projects for roads, bridges, tunnelling, rail and airports.
Resources
- automation and industry 4.0 skills
- beneficiation technology
- critical and battery minerals
- exploration services
- geology and metallurgy
- oil and gas decommissioning
- resource waste management
- value-add in resource sectors including manufacturing products and technologies to advance mineral processing.
Any questions?
Hannan Tew Lawyers have been at the forefront of the former Global Talent and Distinguished Talent visa program (with which the National Innovation visa closely mirrors). We have been interviewed by various media outlets including ITnews, and SBS regarding our insights and views on the GTI program, and on our thoughts on Australian immigration more broadly which can be read here.
With significant experience advising the tech and start-up industries in Australia, we have the knowledge and experience to understand your profile and convey the importance of your research, experience and skill sets to the Department to improve your prospects of receiving an invitation and/or the visa itself.
Please feel free to contact us by email at [email protected] or phone +61 3 9016 0484 if you have further comments or queries or would like some guidance. Alternatively please keep up to date with the latest immigration news by subscribing to our newsletter here.
