As part of Australia’s Global Talent scheme, the Global Talent Employer Sponsored program (GTES) gives Australian employers the opportunity to sponsor overseas workers to fill highly skilled, niche positions.
The program aims to strengthen Australia’s economy by creating new jobs for Australians and transferring new knowledge, skills and experience to the Australian workforce, with highly skilled workers acting as ‘job multipliers’ for businesses in the country.
In this article, we summarise some of the key features of the GTES, with information on eligibility criteria, the application process, and the different streams businesses can apply through…
Who is Eligible for the GTES?
To be eligible for the program, employers must prove that their highly skilled, niche positions cannot be filled by Australian workers or through other standard visa pathways. You must be able to demonstrate the value that overseas workers can bring not only to your organisation but to the country itself.
There are two different streams for employers to apply for the GTES through, with each having its own eligibility criteria for both employers and workers.
Established Business Stream
The Established Business Stream allows employers who are accredited sponsors to employ workers with specialised skills to make key developments within an already established business. As long as applicant and position criteria are met, employers are able to access up to 20 positions per year.
Employers must be able to demonstrate how the GTES will allow them to develop Australia’s job market and must be in good standing with relevant regulatory agencies. They must also be endorsed as a TSS accredited sponsor, and either be publicly listed or have an annual turnover of a minimum of AUD4 million for each of the past two years.
Workers must meet health, character, and security requirements and have no familial relationship with company directors or shareholders. They must hold relevant qualifications and have at least 3 years of work experience directly relevant to the position. They must be able to demonstrate how they can further develop Australia’s workforce and be entering a position with minimum annual earnings equivalent to the Fair Work High Income Threshold.
Startup Stream
The Startup stream allows employers to sponsor highly skilled workers with the potential to develop Australia’s startup ecosystem by transferring new ideas, skills and technology to startup businesses. This stream is aimed at startups which operate in a tech-based or STEM field and have been endorsed by the GTES advisory panel. As long as applicant and position criteria are met, employers are able to access up to 5 positions per year through this stream.
Like the Established Business Stream, employers must be able to demonstrate how the GTES will allow them to develop Australia’s job market and be in good standing with relevant regulatory agencies. To access the stream, startups must have received an investment of a minimum of AUD50,000 from an Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnership or have received an Accelerating Commercialisation Grant at any time.
Workers under this stream must also meet health, character, and security requirements, have no familial relationship with company directors or shareholders, and hold qualifications equivalent to their high level of skill. Like the Established Business Stream, they must have 3 years of relevant work experience and be able to demonstrate their ability to develop the Australian workforce. Workers must have a minimum annual earning at the market salary rate, but this must not be less than AUD80,000, with a cash component no less than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold.
How to Apply
1. Indicate your interest:
Ø Established Business Stream: lodge an online GTES labour agreement request via ImmiAccount along with all relevant documentation.
Ø Startup Stream: email globaltalentscheme@homeaffairs.gov.au with your business name and ABN/CAN, a description of required positions and evidence of why they have not been filled, and evidence of investments/grants received by the business.
2. An assessment will be made based on the provided information and your application should be processed within 6-11 working days. Startups will also need to be assessed by the Startup advisory panel.
3. If your application is successful, you will be sent a GTES agreement to sign and return.
4. Once the agreement has been completed, you will receive a unique code to use when lodging nomination applications online for overseas workers. Nominated workers will then be able to apply for a TSS visa and be assessed against the GTES agreement criteria. Nominations and visa applications are usually decided within 5 business days, as long as a complete application has been submitted.
Reach More Candidates…
Implementing a hiring strategy that expands your talent pool on a global scale is a great way of bringing new skill sets, knowledge and experience to your organisation. Tapping into new job markets means you’re no longer restricted in terms of your candidate reach, and gives you another channel for filling those highly specialised, hard-to-fill positions.
With over 318,000 total registered jobseekers and 53,000+ active CVs from candidates across the globe, PharmiWeb.Jobs can help you locate high-quality talent across numerous international markets. Find out more about how we can help you find the best overseas talent here, or take a look at our global and affiliate sites here:
