Australia is re-shaping its visa system to attract the top tech talent. The government believes that the global war for high-end tech talent can be addressed by providing a visa support.
The digital disruption is happening across all the sectors. Developing nations are struggling to retain the top layer of talent. Majority of the graduates with the highly advanced skills tend to migrate to the developed countries. In IT and tech industry, Silicon Valley has been the default option for top tech talent since the 1980s.
However, the stricter norms on H-1B work visa introduced by Trump government has made it difficult for IT workers to migrate to the United States. If countries like Australia create a suitable skilled migration program, it can address the shortage of highly skilled talent.
Australia has access to the top technology-related talent. The country can attract the highly skilled talent by reforming the current visa system. Alan Tudge, Minister of Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs has reignited the discussions around the visa reform. Tudge has detailed the new visa system, which can potentially shift the orientation of the skilled migration program.
The livability of Australian cities makes it an attractive destination for people. The government is working towards creating a simple visa system, which can help the skilled talent to easily migrate to Australia.
Earlier this year, the government had announced that it will start piloting its Global Talent Scheme visa from July. The scheme will follow different streams to bring top tech workers in the country. However, the policy also requires a business to give first preference to Australian workers during recruitment.
A startup applying under the scheme needs to fit the criteria set by the government. Under the scheme, workers can get a four-year visa that will also allow them to apply for permanent residence after three years. The government has planned the scheme to help Australian businesses to access the best talent in the world.
India tops the list of skilled visa immigrants in Australia. The country has nearly three lakh Indians. A large number of these Indians go to Australia for education and end up settling there. Implementing a new visa policy will unlock the potential of job creation of Australian tech companies. These efforts will create a large number of job vacancies that India’s skilled talent can explore.