Australia has become a top destination for Indian students, with 1.2 lakh pursuing higher education in the country this year alone. Indian enrollment numbers, which declined due to Covid restrictions in 2021 and 2022, have rebounded to 1,22,202 in 2024, marking a strong recovery. To further bolster ties, Australia and India introduced the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) under the Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA) on May 23, 2023. The MATES scheme, set to start in late 2024, aims to offer Indian graduates a streamlined route to temporary employment in Australia.
Through MATES, eligible Indian university graduates and early-career professionals in fields like renewable energy, engineering, ICT, AI, and AgriTech can apply for a Temporary Work (International Relations) (Subclass 403) visa for up to two years. Assistant Minister for Immigration Matt Thistlethwaite stated, “MATES supports migration priorities by attracting India’s top graduates with skills to meet Australia’s workforce demands.”
To qualify, applicants must:
- Be 30 or younger at application time.
- Demonstrate proficient English (IELTS overall score of at least 6).
- Be recent graduates (within two years) from eligible institutions in renewable energy, mining, engineering, ICT, AI, FinTech, or AgriTech.
The annual cap of 3,000 MATES visas will be awarded via a ballot process for fairness and transparency. The scheme allows dependants, who will have work rights and will not impact the visa cap.
MATES offers significant opportunities for Indian graduates seeking work experience in Australia, enhancing Australia-India bilateral relations and fostering skill exchange between the nations.
