GTI: all you wanted to know, but didn’t ask

The DOHA consistently answers the most popular questions regarding complex and new visa options. We are publishing updates from 21 January 2021 about one of the most popular migration pathway – Global Talent Independent Program.

Processing of GTI

As we know, Global Talent Visas are prioritizes and they were announced as short time processing visa. However, the processing time of EOI is experiencing significant delays.

If you have already submitted an EOI

The Department will contact you if more information is required or an assessment is made. No email will be sent confirming receipt of your EOI due to lack of time. Please do not submit additional EOIs as this will result in further delays. Check your inbox and junk mail folder regularly.

If you have submitted an EOI and would like to provide additional documents that you have not previously included, please send them to GlobalTalent@homeaffairs.gov.au and include your passport number in the email. Zip files, encrypted files or documents stored in cloud will not be accepted.

Masters and Bachelors with Honours

From 20 January 2021, Masters by Coursework, Masters by Research and Bachelor with Honours will no longer be eligible for Global Talent program invitations if the application is based solely on their qualifications.

Applicants affected by these changes are encouraged to consider demonstrating other Global Talent requirements as outlined on the official program page on the Department’s website.

Applicants (Masters and Bachelors) who already have a Global Talent invitation ID and an invitation code are eligible to apply and attest for a visa.

PhD graduates and PhD students who are close to submission of their thesis

PhD graduates must provide proof that they have completed their studies in the priority sector within the last 3 years. PhD students must provide evidence that they are close to completing their doctoral degree and that they have previous records of exceptional and outstanding professional achievement.

Both PhD graduates and students must also provide proof that their qualifications meet Australian standards. They must provide evidence that they are exceptional and outstanding and that their research is of international importance. It is in the duty and interest of the applicants to provide the Department with evidence of compliance. Applicants are encouraged to consult official Australian education resources.

Evidence of exceptional and outstanding achievements for GTI assessment:  

• reports commissioned;
• books published;
• articles published in professional journals, magazines and newspapers;
• awards received;
• recognition by peers (including citation in journals);
• statements of achievement from government, professional, scientific or other relevant bodies;
• honours and accolades (for example, a Nobel Prize in Medicine);
• professional designation such as Professor, PhD, or M.D, whether this be purely honorary or symbolic, or associated with credentials attesting to specific competence, learning or skills;
• membership of international groups and organisations associated with the area of learning;
• evidence of government/private grants associated with the applicant’s research;
• evidence of receiving a fellowship or an honorary appointment such as Professor or Associate Professor in one or more highly regarded educational institutions that specialises in the same field;
• academic qualifications associated with the applicant’s area of expertise;
• scale and audience of research undertaken or completed;
• statements from the applicant’s research supervisor (or professor) that the student’s thesis/ research has strong prospects of being published;
• academic statement of results (demonstrating high academic achievement) from an internationally recognised university;
• one or more peer reviewed publications in the applicant’s area of study/research;
• links to any reputable websites which refer to the applicant and what they have done/achieved.
  
  

Providing false information

Submitting knowingly fraudulent, false or misleading information in support of the EOI or application for a visa will be considered a serious violation. According to the results of the investigation, a candidate involved in migration fraud could face a penalty. In addition, this will obviously have a negative impact on the migration case: the request may be rejected, and the candidate may be banned from applying for any visa for 3-10 years. Granted visa may be cancelled if the violation is later reported.

How to apply for a PR visa through the GTI program:

• Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through a special form confirming that you meet all the requirements of the Global Talent program.
• Receive an invitation code and ID confirming your nomination.
• Apply for the SC 858 Talent Visa under the Global Talent Independent program through a form at ImmiAccount.
• Please note, if you get an error, it is probably due to the document upload limit (up to 19MB).

GTI visa SC124 vs SC858

Since November 14, 2020, Talent visas for foreign and local applicants have been merged into a single visa (SC 858), which can be applied for and obtained regardless of the applicant’s location.

If you already have a draft SC 124 visa application in ImmiAccount, it will now automatically become an SC 858 visa application. You will need an invitation code in order to edit or submit it.

Nominees

To apply for Talent Visa, candidate must be nominated by a person or company that meets certain requirements. A candidate cannot change their nominee after applying for a visa. Changing the nominee is allowed until processing of EOI, but this may lead to processing delays.

Global Talent Officers cannot be your nominee. Candidate is encouraged to find their own nominator through connections to Australia.

Path of Outstanding Talents

This is one more way to get a Talent Visa, without an ID and invitation code. The Distinguished Talent pathway has a very small number of annual places (200 places in 2020-21) and is subject to overwhelming demand. The program is only for the most exceptional and outstanding individuals. The current average processing time for the Distinguished Talent program is 12-16 months.

What else?

In addition to proof of compliance with the requirements for obtaining an invitation, candidates must provide the following set of documents as part of the visa application process:

• Medical and police checks
• ID confirmation
• Functional English
• Visa fees
• Dependent family members included in the application

Do you have some questions?

Book an individual consultation to discuss your case with me