The Migration Amendment (Mobility Arrangements for Talented Early-professionals Scheme) Regulations 2024 introduces a new visa stream under the bilateral arrangement between Australia and India. Known as the “MATES” visa, this initiative provides 3,000 temporary visas annually for recent Indian graduates in key fields such as artificial intelligence, financial technology, and renewable energy.

The visa allows successful applicants to live and work in Australia for up to two years. Selection for these visas will be conducted through a ballot system, aiming to attract talented young professionals to contribute to Australia’s workforce. This scheme is intended to strengthen the partnership between the two nations while addressing Australia’s skills shortages. However, questions remain regarding the efficacy of a ballot system in ensuring that the most qualified candidates are selected.

Source: Migration-Amendment-Mobility-Arrangements-for-Talent-Early-Professionals-Scheme-Regs-2024.pdf

and

Migration-Amendment-Mobility-Arrangements-for-Talented-Early-professionals-Scheme-Regs-2024–Explanatory-Statement.pdf