What is MATES, Australia’s new work scheme for young Indians?

Australia has set up an innovative scheme that permits skilled young Indians to work in the country for some time.

The initiative is known as MATES, or the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme.

Over 122,000 Indian students will be enrolled in Australian higher education programmes by 2024, making it a desirable choice for fresh graduates hoping to advance their careers abroad.

Let’s take a closer look.

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MATES programme

The Australian Department of Home Affairs claims that MATES offers Indian university graduates and early career professionals a two-year job opportunity in Australia.

India and Australia signed the Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA) on May 23, 2023.

It is a bilateral framework that addresses concerns related to illegal and irregular migration while promoting and supporting two-way travel and mobility between the two nations.

MATES were developed under MMPA.

These programmes are a part of Australia’s larger migration agenda for 2024–2025, which aims to give skilled migrants 70 per cent of its 185,000 available positions.

This plan seeks to address Australia’s changing skill demands in key areas in order to promote its economic growth.

Australia anticipates that the MATES visa and other skill-focused programmes will make a substantial contribution to its workforce over the next five years. It will also give Indian professionals a direct route to engage with and profit from Australia’s economy.

The MATES initiative is scheduled for launch in late 2024, with 3,000 spots available for primary applicants annually during the first pilot period, as per The Times of India.

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Benefits

Participants in MATES are granted up to two years of residence and employment in Australia.

The visa application procedure is made simpler and more accessible for students by allowing participants to apply without requiring sponsorship from an Australian company.

Although it is not strictly necessary for visa holders to work in their chosen field of study, the programme is intended to help young professionals build their networks and skill sets, especially in the aforementioned industries.

Participants can bring dependents, such as dependent children and spouses. Dependents will not be included in the annual cap and will enjoy work rights in Australia.

In addition to helping close Australia’s skills gap, this new project gives Indian graduates the opportunity to gain international job experience in a regulated, supportive setting.

With bilateral relations, the MATES visa highlights the growing cultural and economic connections between India and Australia.

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Eligibility

Key requirements under the scheme are as follows:

• Aged 30 or younger at the time of application

• Should not have previously participated in MATES

• Have proficient English language skills (overall IELTS or equivalent score of at least 6, with a minimum score of 5 for each of the four modules)

• Graduated within two years from an eligible educational institution

• Hold a qualification (Bachelor’s degree or higher) in one of the following: renewable energy, mining, engineering, Information Communications Technology (ICT), artificial intelligence (AI), financial technology (FinTech) or agricultural technology (AgriTech).

The scheme will be available to graduates from the top 100 Indian universities according to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking for 2024.

The following universities from Punjab are eligible: Lovely Professional University, Thaper Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chandigarh University, and Punjab University, as per The Indian Express.

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Visa process

A pre-application fee of about AUD 25 and a normal application cost of AUD 365 must be paid for the application process, as per India Today.

It is recommended that candidates check the Australian Department of Home Affairs website for the most recent updates, as fees are subject to change.

A ballot (random selection) will be used to grant visas.

Visa holders can enter Australia for the first time within 12 months, and they may stay in the country for up to 24 months after that. Multiple entry into Australia are permitted with the visa.

If they meet each criteria for the visa, participants may apply for another visa that permits temporary or permanent residency in order to extend their stay.

With inputs from agencies