National Innovation Visa (NIV)
Starting from 7 December 2024, the government will introduce the new National Innovation visa, which will replace the existing Global Talent visa (subclass 858) and Investor visa (891). This visa aims to attract exceptionally talented migrants who can contribute to the growth of sectors crucial to Australia’s national interests.
Overview
Eligibility
Overview
- The National Innovation visa will replace the Global Talent visa but will still be classified as a Subclass 858 visa.
- The visa will cater to a wide range of exceptional talent from diverse backgrounds, including;
- Global researchers and thought leaders, such as those with high publication records, significant citations, and recipients of prestigious field-specific awards.
- Entrepreneurs, both established and emerging, who have gained valuable insights from successful State and Territory-led initiatives.
- Innovative investors, with an emphasis on the quality of their investments rather than meeting simple financial thresholds.
- Athletes and creatives, particularly those who represent Australia on the international stage.
Applications will be available by invitation only, with the Expression of Interest (EOI) process aligning more closely with the procedures of other invitation only visas.
Some of the benefits of this visa are:
- You will receive priority processing of your visa.
- There is also no age limit for applicants.
- You do not need an Australian employer to sponsor you with a job.
- It is NOT a point tested visa.
- You do not need exceptional English skills. You are only required to score 4.5 on the IELTS International English Language Test or similar.
- You can be residing in Australia or offshore when you apply.
- This visa allows you to stay in Australia permanently.
- You can live and work anywhere in Australia indefinitely.
- You may enrol in Australia’s public health care program.
- Your children will receive free State schooling.
Eligibility
To be invited to apply for a visa under the Global Talent Visa Program, a candidate will be highly skilled in one of the 10 target sectors and able to attract a salary that meets the high-income threshold.
- You will have to be highly skilled and internationally recognised in one of the 10 target sectors
- You must meet one of the next options:
- Your current salary must be AUD 175,000 or more (as of July 1st 2024), or
- Your future job offers outlining your remuneration should reflect a salary of AUD 175,000 or more (as of July 1st 2024), or
- You must be a high-performing recent PhD holder in one of the target sectors.
- Be nominated or endorsed to apply for this visa by a nominator with a national reputation in the same field as you, and be:
- an Australian citizen
- an Australian permanent resident
- an eligible New Zealand citizen, or
- an Australian organisation.
New eligibility requirements
- Demonstrate international recognition through evidence of exceptional achievements.
- Maintain prominence in their respective field of expertise.
- Present evidence indicating their potential value to Australia within their area of expertise.
- Exhibit ease in securing employment in Australia or establishing themselves in their field.
- Obtain endorsement as a global talent in the same field from a recognized organisation or individual in Australia.
- Candidates are required to meet stringent criteria, showcasing an outstanding history of professional accomplishments. This may encompass holding senior positions, possessing patents, receiving professional awards, contributing to international publications, and holding memberships in relevant professional organisations.
- Applicants are required to have the ability to earn a salary at or above the Fair Work high-income threshold. The Department assesses candidates based on their current salary (supported by payslips or a contract), potential job offers with stated remuneration, or, for recent PhD graduates and certain PhD students with relevant qualifications in the specified sectors.
- Those who are internationally recognized for their extraordinary accomplishments in the fields of education, research, sports, the arts, or professions are eligible for the Distinguished Talent Visa. With this visa, you and your family will be able to reside permanently in Australia.
10 Target Sectors and Specialisations:
- Engineering
- Geology
- Metallurgy
- Waste management
- Energy saving technology
- Extraction and processing
- Advanced visualisation technologies, e.g., sensors
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies
- Beneficiation technologies to improve economic value of resources like ore
- Expertise in energy-saving technologies for ore extraction and processing, including ore body mapping, geophysical tools, drilling, mineral refinement, and automation with robotic equipment
- Resource waste management
- Seed technology
- Nanomaterials
- Biofuels
- Supply chain and packaging
- Wearable technologies
- Agricultural big data analytics
- Commercialisation experience within the industry
- Future proteins for human and animal consumption
- Food and beverage technology
- Individual technologies or a combination of technologies related to farm equipment, weather, seed optimisation, fertiliser and crop inputs, and irrigation
- Precision measurement and/or application of farm inputs such as nitrogen and pesticides, gene editing, nanomaterials and synthetic biology
- Predictive technologies around planting times, climatic forecasting and crop cycles
- Wearable technology, including ear-tag trackers for animal management.
- Clean energy
- Resource robotics
- Computational metallurgy
- Geostatistics
- Benefication
- Battery/energy storage
- Advanced visualisation technology (e.g. sensors)
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies
- Automation and robotics (e.g. smart sorting technologies for recycling)
- Beneficiation technologies (i.e. improving the economic value of ore)
- Recycling technology (e.g. feedstock recycling or E-waste processing)
- Traceability technologies, e.g. experience with sophisticated material trading systems that make material sources more transparent to consumers
- Expertise with the following fields in the sector (Hydrogen technology, clean technologies, renewables and hybrids (including solar and wind power, battery/energy storage design (specialised, grid-scale and precursors for batteries, bioenergy and biofuels, micro-grid design; and supporting the transition to net zero carbon emissions)
- Medical and biomedical technology
- Pharmaceutical and vaccine research and development
- IT biochemistry
- Digital health
- Implantables and wearable devices
- Genomics
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Biochemistry and cell biology
- Biostatistician
- Biotechnology
- Biomedicine and Bioengineering
- Cell and gene therapies – genomics
- Clinical trials
- Digital health
- Health economists
- Implantable and wearable devices (e.g. 3D printed custom devices, bionics and prosthetics)
- Infectious disease
- Medical devices
- Medical physicist
- Microbiology and immunology
- Nanotechnology and genomics
- Neuroscience and neurology
- Pharmaceuticals
- Precision medicine
- Point of care diagnostics
- Regenerative medicine
Defence
- Augmented and virtual reality
- Cyber Security
- Expertise in military equipment acquisition, sustainment and evaluation;
- Robotics and automation
- Sensors and analytics
- Military equipment acquisition and sustainment
Advanced manufacturing
- Advanced materials
- Automation and robotics
- Nano-manufacturing
- Sustainable manufacturing and life-cycle engineering
- Additive manufacturing (3D printing), materials resilience and repair
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Automation & Robotics
- Bio-manufacturing and biological integration
- Biotechnologies
- Digital design and rapid prototyping
- Digitisation and automation
- Nano-manufacturing and micro-manufacturing
- Precision manufacturing
Space
- Aviation in space
- Experience that would be of benefit to the National Civil Space Priority Areas:
- Position, navigation and timing (PNT) infrastructure (global navigation satellite systems)
- Earth observation technology and services
- Communications technologies and services (lasers for data communication, quantum technologies for secure communication, and hybrid radio and optical communications)
- Space situational awareness and debris monitoring (including space traffic management)
- Leapfrog R&D, which includes new rocket technology, high-tech materials, space medicine, synthetic biology, quantum communications, in-orbit servicing and optical wireless communication technologies
- Robotics and automation on Earth and in space
- Access to space, which includes international space missions and launch activity
- Engagement with international space and astronomy regulatory bodies.
- Bioenergy
- Sustainable production
- Recycling
- Waste treatment
- Waste to energy technology
- Emissions technology
- Ecologically sustainable manufacturing
- Artificial Intelligence and digital technologies
- Bioenergy generation
- Bio-methane production
- Commercialisation experience within the industry
- Development of sustainable production and supply chain practices that reduce atmospheric land and marine pollution
- Energy infrastructure
- Recycling and responsible manufacturing to support industries (plastics, paper, glass, tyre components, e-waste and lithium batteries)
- Reducing emissions and increasing efficient use of natural resources (including energy, water and materials)
- Waste treatment (management and reuse) and emissions technology
- Waste-to-energy (WtE) technology (the ability to generate reliable baseload electricity that is also capable of diverting waste away from landfill and reducing carbon emissions)
- Quantum computing
- Cyber sciences
- Cyber security
- Artificial intelligence
- Blockchain, IoT
- Big data
- Disruptive technology
- Smart cities
- Machine learning
- Network engineering
- Cloud computing
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning
- Automation
- Big data
- Blockchain technology
- Cloud computing
- Cyber security detection, prevention and response services
- Data and eResearch infrastructure
- Data management and analysis
- Data science
- Disruptive technologies
- Front-end development
- Internet of Things
- IT integrated with control systems for plant and machinery
- Machine learning engineering
Infrastructure
Potential or ability to:
- Travel and tourism infrastructure
- Water infrastructure
- Energy infrastructure
- Regional development
- Drive economic development in regional communities
- Develop gateways to support Australia’s international competitiveness
- Improve and expand Australia’s energy infrastructure
- Improve water security across Australia
Tourism
Potential or ability to:
- Increase the economic benefits to Australia from tourism;
- Target high value travelers in the markets and tourism segments that deliver the greatest returns
- Foster a sustainable and innovative tourism industry.
- Neobanking
- Payment systems
- Wealth and regtech
- Blockchain
- Automated and predictive financial advice
- Blockchain technology
- Commercialisation experience within the industry
- Digital wallets
- Financial advice (e.g. automated and digital)
- Financial data analytics, compliance and ‘RegTech
- Micro-savings
- Next generation lending, investment and wealth management
- Online banking
- Platform banking and payments (e.g. contactless)
- Cutting edge skills in emerging fields of the industry
- Developing advanced educational systems and curricula
- Improving the education infrastructure in Australia
- Digital data and eResearch platforms
- Cutting edge innovation within the Education sector
- Research and education infrastructure planning
- Characterisation (Technologies in advanced microscopy and microanalysis that underpin modern science, medicine, engineering and industrial innovation)
- Digital Data and eResearch Platforms
- Platforms for Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.