MATES Program Offers New Visa Pathways for Indian Graduates and Professionals

Date: 15 November 2024

The Australian Department of Home Affairs has introduced a new visa stream under the Temporary Work (subclass 403) International Relations Visa called the Mobility Arrangements for Talented Early-Professional Scheme (MATES). This stream, part of the Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA) between Australia and India, offers a unique opportunity for young Indian graduates and professionals to live and work in Australia.

The legislative changes for the MATES pathway took effect on 12 November 2024, enabling Indian nationals with qualifications in specific high-demand industries to stay in Australia for up to two years.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for the MATES stream, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Hold a valid Indian passport.
Be outside of Australia when lodging the application.
Have no prior history as a holder of the Temporary Work (subclass 403) International Relations visa.
Be between 18 and 30 years of age at the time of application.
Demonstrate English language proficiency through approved testing providers (listed below)
Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification in one of the targeted industries (listed below)
Have graduated from an eligible educational institution within the past two years (listed below).

Visa Validity

Successful applicants will:

Have 12 months from the visa grant date to make their first entry into Australia.
Be allowed to remain in Australia for up to 24 months from their first entry date.

Further Bachelor Degree Requirement

Applicants must possess qualifications equivalent to an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 7 degree (bachelor’s degree) or higher, issued by a foreign educational institution specified in the legislative instrument.

Targeted industries include:

English Language Requirement

Applicants are required to meet specific English language requirements, demonstrated through one of the following approved tests:

Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Minimum overall score of 6, with at least 5 in each component.
Occupational English Test (OET)
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE)
Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT)

Test validity:

Scores must be obtained within 1 year before the application date, or
Within 1 year before a decision is made if evidence is not provided at the time of application.

Eligible Universities from India

Ballot System

The MATES visa uses a pre-application ballot system to allocate spots. Annually, 3,000 places are made available.

Registrations for the first MATES ballot will open in December 2024.

Key details of the ballot process:

Applicants must register online during the designated registration period.
A declaration of eligibility must be submitted during registration.
A registration fee of AUD 25.00 applies.
Individuals can only register once per ballot cycle.

Including Family Members

Partners and children of the primary visa holder can apply as secondary applicants. Key points include:

Secondary applicants can be inside or outside Australia, provided they are not in immigration detention or clearance.
They are not subject to the ballot system and do not count toward the 3,000 annual allocation.
Secondary visa holders will enjoy unrestricted work rights in Australia.