Australia welcomes professionals and Indian graduates with MATES program

Australia, jobs, career, MATES Program, opportunities, Indian Professionals, graduates

Young Indian professionals aged 30 or younger, with strong English language abilities and a Bachelor’s degree or higher gained within the last two years, have received a special offer to stay and work in Australia. MATES – The Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early Professionals Scheme is a specially created program to revolutionize the job market for Indian workers seeking to immigrate to Australia.

MATES was initiated to enable the temporary mobility of Indian university graduates and early career professionals. MATES will allow Indian university graduates and early career professionals to live and work in Australia for up to two years, and to gain employment and valuable experience in their areas of expertise.

The best thing about the Talented Professionals Scheme is that there will be no requirement for sponsorship by an Australian employer to be eligible to apply for a visa as part of MATES. Further, MATES participants may extend their period of stay in Australia by applying for another visa permitting temporary or permanent residence, provided they meet all eligibility requirements for the visa.

Shalini Lambah, Chief Executive – India, Migrate World, DUDigital Global says, “The Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) will boost early career opportunities for Indian graduates. It opens doors for Indian talent to contribute to Australian companies and explore new avenues.”

Who is eligible for MATES Program

MATES will be open to Indian nationals who:

  • Are aged 30 or younger (inclusive) at the time of application;
  • Have not previously participated in MATES;
  • Have proficient English language skills (overall IELTS or equivalent score of at least 6, with a minimum score of 5 for each of the four parts);
  • Have graduated within 2 years from an eligible educational institution at the time of application; and
  • Hold a qualification (Bachelor’s degree or higher) in one of the courses like renewable energy, mining, engineering, Information Communications Technology, artificial intelligence, financial technology or agricultural technology.

While there is no strict requirement for visa holders to work in their nominated field of study, it is designed to support young professionals expand their skills and networks, particularly in the specified sectors.

MATES participants will be able to live and work in Australia for up to 2 years. Visa holders will have 12 months to make their first entry into Australia, and may stay in Australia for 24 months from the date of first entry. The visa will allow multiple entries to Australia.

MATES will open for applications from late 2024 and commence as a pilot program with 3,000 places for primary applicants per program year. Participants will be able to apply to bring dependants (spouses and dependent children). Dependants will have work rights in Australia, and will not count towards the annual cap.

Budget Australia 2024 states that the visa will have a pre-application (ballot) charge of $25 and an application charge of $365, both of which will be indexed to the consumer price index in future years. This measure is part of the Australia-India Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA).

 

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