To achieve a goal of becoming a high-performing and innovative nation, an enhanced visa system for skilled and talented people to drive ideas from research to commercial reality will come into effect later this year.
To attract the “best and brightest” entrepreneurial talent and skills, Australia is soon going to introduce a new Entrepreneur Visa for entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and financial backing.
The new enhanced visa system will also provide for enhanced pathways to permanent residence for postgraduate research graduates with Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths (STEM) and ICT qualifications.
Australian doctorate-level and masters by research qualifications in STEM and specified ICT or related fields will be given preference though extra points under the Points Tested Skilled Migration programme to strengthen their pathway to permanent residence.
The Entrepreneur Visa will be introduced in November this year and the enhanced permanent visa pathway for STEM postgraduate research graduates will be implemented in December.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics found that STEM skills jobs grew 50 per cent faster than other jobs between 2006 and 2011 and The StartupAUS Crossroads 2015 report shows that the demand for ICT workers doubled between 1999 and 2012, while applications for tertiary ICT courses declined significantly, indicating a skills gap that needs to be addressed.
