(AUSTRALIA) Australia has opened a new pathway for young professionals from India, launching the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme, or MATES, under the Temporary Work (International Relations) visa subclass 403. The program, which began on November 12, 2024, offers up to 3,000 places each year for primary applicants and lets eligible Indian nationals live and work in Australia for up to two years without employer sponsorship. The Australian government says the scheme supports skills exchange with India while giving graduates and early-career workers a chance to gain real-world experience in priority industries.
Program design and purpose
The arrangement is a bilateral initiative between Australia and India, focused on practical work exposure rather than permanent settlement. It sits within the broader subclass 403 framework but carries distinct rules reflecting the bilateral deal.
- Primary aim: skills exchange and short-term professional experience.
- Duration: up to two years for each visa holder.
- Annual cap: 3,000 primary places per year.
- Dependents: can accompany the primary applicant and do not count toward the 3,000-place cap. Dependent partners and children have full work rights during the two-year stay.
Selection process — ballot system
The program uses a ballot-based selection to manage demand, with the government describing it as a fair and transparent method.
- Eligible Indian nationals register via the government’s online system.
- Registrants pay a ballot fee of AUD 25.
- Registration does not guarantee a place.
- Selections are made at random; successful applicants receive a Notification of Selection by email.
Important: Once selected, candidates have 30 calendar days from the notification date to submit their visa application. The deadline closes at 11:59 pm AEDT on the last day of that period.
- Applications must be lodged while the applicant is outside Australia, and the applicant must also be offshore when the decision is made.
Application steps and fees
After being invited to apply, the candidate completes the process online.
- Visa application charge: starting around AUD 365–375.
- Financial evidence guidance: about AUD 5,000 in funds (final amounts may vary depending on dependents and living plans).
- Entry conditions: multiple entries allowed; holders can travel in and out of Australia during the two-year period.
- Work: no limits on the kind of work they can undertake while on the visa.
The Department of Home Affairs intends to keep paperwork streamlined while maintaining standard background checks.
Eligibility requirements
Eligibility rules emphasize youth and recent qualifications.
- Age: 18 to 30 years inclusive at the time of ballot registration.
- Nationality: valid Indian passport.
- Education: at least a bachelor’s degree or higher completed in the past two years.
- For the 2025–26 intake, the degree must be from a Top 100 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) institution in India.
- English proficiency: overall IELTS 6.0 with no band below 5.0, or equivalent TOEFL/PTE results.
- Health and character: standard checks required.
- Offshore requirement: applicants must be outside Australia at both selection and decision stages.
- Previous participation: applicants must confirm they have not previously taken part in MATES.
- Return intent: applicants must declare intent to return to India after two years unless they subsequently lawfully move to another visa.
The return-intent statement reinforces the program’s temporary nature and distinguishes it from permanent migration pathways.
Sector focus and qualification fit
The MATES stream targets industries central to Australia’s future economy and where demand for fresh talent is high. Qualifications should align with areas such as:
- Renewable energy
- Mining
- Engineering
- Information and communications technology (ICT)
- Artificial intelligence
- Financial technology (FinTech)
- Agricultural technology
Although the visa does not require a prearranged job, the policy aims to match entrants with industry demand once they arrive.
Documentation checklist and timing
Because of the tight timelines, being prepared with documents before entering the ballot is highly recommended.
Essential documents include:
- Valid Indian passport
- Degree certificates and transcripts
- English test results
- Medical report from a panel physician
- Police clearance certificate from Indian authorities
- Bank statements or other proof of funds (typically around AUD 5,000)
- A brief letter outlining purpose in Australia and plan to return to India
- Relationship and identity documents for each dependent (if applicable)
- Selection letter, which triggers the 30-day application window
Delays in medical checks or police certificates after selection could risk missing the 30-day deadline; if a selected applicant misses the window, they must re-register for a future ballot if available.
Practical benefits and limitations
Benefits:
- Flexibility to work in any field and change employers.
- Multiple entries permitted.
- Dependents have full work rights, which can help with household income.
- On-the-ground experience can improve prospects for employer sponsorship or other skilled visas later.
Limitations:
- The visa is temporary and not a direct route to permanent residence.
- Applicants must meet return-intent conditions and other eligibility criteria.
- Annual 3,000 cap creates competition; dependents are unlimited, which could expand the actual number living in Australia under MATES at any time.
VisaVerge.com notes that some participants may consider other temporary routes after MATES, but those require meeting separate visa rules.
Operational considerations and strategic advice
- The cap and ballot system make timing and preparedness critical.
- Being offshore at selection and decision points may affect recent graduates traveling for study or work.
- Plan medical checks, police certificates, and document gathering well in advance.
- If unsuccessful or if you miss the deadline after selection, you will need to register again for future ballots.
Key takeaway: Having documents lined up before entering the ballot reduces stress and improves the chance of meeting strict deadlines.
Broader context and policy goals
MATES is framed as a two-way skills flow:
- Australia gains young, English-speaking professionals trained in high-demand fields.
- India’s graduates gain exposure to Australian workplaces and technologies.
The government positions MATES as a targeted expansion of mobility with a close partner, balancing selection points (age limits, degree timing, industry focus) with broad onshore work freedoms and dependent rights.
While MATES is temporary, it complements other pathways available to Indian graduates (such as employer sponsorship or post-study work options). VisaVerge.com notes that extended post-study arrangements can allow stays of up to eight years in some cases under separate policies — but those are distinct from MATES and have their own conditions.
Where to find official information
Government pages stress that this scheme is part of the Temporary Work (International Relations) visa architecture. Official details, including the ballot process and eligibility, are published and updated by the Department of Home Affairs.
- For authoritative information and application steps, see: Department of Home Affairs – Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403).
Officials urge prospective applicants to read the rules carefully, confirm degree and test score eligibility, and prepare documents early.
Final summary
MATES marks a notable shift in Australia–India skilled mobility: it combines strict selection criteria (age, recent degree, industry fit) with broad onshore work freedoms and unlimited dependent places. It emphasizes temporary, practical experience rather than settlement, while leaving lawful pathways open for those who later meet other visa criteria. The program will ultimately be judged by the employment outcomes, projects supported, and networks built by the first cohorts during their two-year stay under the MATES stream.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Article in a Nutshell
MATES, launched November 12, 2024 under Australia’s subclass 403 visa, grants up to 3,000 primary places yearly to Indian nationals aged 18–30 with recent bachelor’s degrees. The two-year visa allows unrestricted work, multiple entries, and full work rights for dependents, who do not count toward the cap. Selection is by ballot (AUD 25 registration), and selected applicants must apply within 30 days while offshore. The program prioritizes fields like renewable energy, ICT, AI and engineering and focuses on temporary skills exchange rather than permanent settlement.
