Australia changes rules for Indian students

• From July 1, 2023, Australia has changed the VISA criteria for Indian graduates studying in Australian academic institutions. According to the new guidelines, Indian students can now work without a visa for up to eight years. The adjustments were implemented in light of the bilateral agreement reached between India and Australia in May 2023.
• The Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) will open up to 3,000 spots. It is an outcome of a bilateral agreement signed between India and Australia last month.

• Indian professionals from seven fields including engineering, information and communication technology, artificial intelligence, financial technology, renewable energy and mining are eligible for this visa.

• MATES will offer a new mobility pathway for Indian graduates and early career professionals with knowledge and skills in targeted fields of study to live and work in Australia for up to two years.
  
  

The eligible fields for the MATES visa include:

• Engineering
• Mining
• Financial technology
• Artificial intelligence
• Information & Communication Technology
• Agricultural Technology
• Renewal Energy

Eligibility for MATES visa are:

• Candidate must be below the age of 31
• Must have graduated from a recognized and verified university
• Must be a recent pass-out
• Must be at an early stage of their career.

Australia visa processing

• Australia said this April that it intends to overhaul its immigration system to speed up getting highly skilled workers into the country.
• In a bid to lure skilled migrants, the government said the visa process for high-skilled professionals will be made swift and easy, and steps would be taken to retain international students.
• Temporary skilled visa holders, who had been denied even the opportunity to apply for permanent residency, will be able to do that by the end of this year. But it will not add to Australia’s annual intake of permanent migrants, she said.
• In September last year, Australia raised its intake of permanent migrants to 195,000 this financial year, up by 35,000, to help businesses battling widespread staff shortages and pledged more staff and funds to speed up visa processing.

How to apply for the MATES Visa?

Check your eligibility:

• Get the English proficiency test.
• Get the skills assessment test.
• Register your EOI (Expression of Interest).
• Get your ITA (Invitation to Apply).
• Submit the application
• Fly to Australia

Maximum 48 hours Work per Fortnight

• Under the new visa rules, from July 1, the working hours for students increase to 48 hours per fortnight. Individuals employed in the aged care sector are exempt from this regulation and are permitted to work unlimited hours through December 31, 2023. Candidates below the age of 31 years and who have obtained their education from a recognized and verified university are eligible to avail of the benefits under the MATES visa program.