Key Points
- Iraqi-born scientists Dr Bilal Bahaa Zaidan Al-Jubouri and Dr Aos Alaa Zaidan came to Australia on Global Talent Visas.
- Their expertise lies in developing new AI systems in healthcare, supply chains and agriculture.
- Their visa has been replaced by the National Innovation Visa which has so far been granted to just seven people despite 6,000 EOIs.
Dr Aos Alaa Zaidan and Dr Bilal Bahaa Zaidan Al-Jubouri were granted highly competitive Global Talent Visas to move to Australia in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
This scheme was closed and replaced by the National Innovation Visa (NIV) scheme from December 2024 and as at May 2025, just seven people had received the visa despite almost 6,000 Expressions of Interest (EOIs).
Recipients are granted immediate permanent residency and access to Medicare and other services.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs, almost half of recipients are from "critical technologies (which includes AI); health industries and renewables; and low-emission technologies".
Both Al-Jubouri and Zaidan work as researchers and lecturers at the Sydney campus of the SP Jain School of Global Management.
Al-Jubouri arrived in Australia with his wife Rukayah and daughter Mayar in early 2024 after first being granted a 'Golden Visa' to live and work in Taiwan.
Dr Bilal Bahaa Zaidan Al-Jubouri, his daughter Mayar and wife Rukayah are settling into life in Australia. Credit: Dr Bilal Bahaa Zaidan Al-Jubouri
"I was among the first applicants for this visa program in 2019. They granted visas to only 200 applicants. I was among them."
He is developing Australia-made and operated chat bots in the area of healthcare to compete with the likes of overseas bots such as ChatGPT.
"Australian-made bots will have greater security and privacy aspects plus no restrictions on how they're used," he said.
He is also researching how AI can be used in the agricultural sector to remotely monitor crops and raise alarms about potential dangers such as bushfires.
He grew up in Baghdad where he excelled in mathematics after being inspired by his father's career in computer science with the Iraqi air force.
"Maths is essentially the engine of AI so a grounding in mathematics is essential for further study and specialisation in AI," he said.
Zaidan, who arrived in Australia with his wife Hamsa and two children Yusef and Yara in 2023, previously studied and work in Malaysia and Dubai.
With more than 20 patents to his name, he said his work focused on AI for use in logistics and supply chains.
One of his AI projects centred on improving the efficiency of long-haul truck journeys.
Dr Aos Alaa Zaidan is an expert in AI for logistics especially in the transport industry. Credit: Dr Aos Alaa Zaidan
"The system will save both time and fuel as well as improve safety for drivers."
What is the National Innovation Visa scheme?
The NIV is a small, exclusive program with an increased focus on high-calibre talented migrants, including high performing entrepreneurs, innovative investors and global researchers.
It supports productivity growth by enabling migrants with skills in areas such as advanced robotics, quantum computing and clean energy to come to Australia.
According to the spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs, 5,910 Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the visa had been received since its introduction in December 2024.
"Most candidates — 66 per cent — who were invited to apply for a NIV hold a PhD," the spokesperson said.
"The NIV replaced the Global Talent Visa (Subclass 858). All on-hand Subclass 858 visa applications continue to be processed in line with annual allocations made under the Migration Program planning levels, and in line with ministerial directions and processing priorities."
SBS understands under the previous Global Talent program, 5,000 visas were granted in 2023-24 and a further 4,000 in 2024-25.
Immigration expert Abul Rizvi said the NIV was "for people who had an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in one of four areas".
These were a profession, a sport, the arts, or academia and research.
"Anyone can lodge an EOI for this visa given the subjective nature of the criteria. As a result, many EOIs are lodged," Rizvi said.
"But only people who are invited to apply following an assessment of EOIs can do so. Because of the limited number of places, and the high bar people must meet, relatively few people are invited to apply."
