The feds are piloting a new two-stream visa “to attract highly skilled global talent.” One is for established businesses to hire people whose visa will ensure “skills transfer” to Australian workers. The other is for technology based and STEM start-ups to “sponsor people with specialised technology skills.” A new migration path for international higher degree graduates? There is no mention of the Global Talent Scheme only applying offshore. And both streams require three-year’s work experience for the job they are hired to do. With the existing temporary graduate visa applying for up to four years it could be.

Universities Australia is excited about the chance for its members to pick up people in the high-paid pool, “we’re going to need new types of professionals and expertise to support the changing roles of universities as the nation transitions to a knowledge economy,” UA CEO Belinda Robinson said last night.

“As the economy changes, the role of Australia’s universities will need to change with it. Just a decade ago, expertise in areas such as research commercialisation, entrepreneurship or philanthropy weren’t a large part of university structures — now they’re increasingly vital.”