Fast-track visa pilot program for UK citizens under the AUKFTA: Should you apply?
As part of the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA), the Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot (IECSEP) is a fast-track visa program offering UK citizens the opportunity to further their careers by working in Australia. The pilot also provides a way for Australian organisations to access qualified and highly skilled talent from the UK.
What is the Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot (IECSEP?)
Launched on 8 June 2023, the IECSEP targets UK professionals in the early stages of their careers, as well as highly skilled individuals with demonstrated track records of innovation. It is a streamlined work visa option in addition to other visa pathways already available to UK citizens.
Who is eligible?
There are two streams under the IECSEP:
- the Early Careers Skills stream, which allows professionals aged between 21 and 45 to undertake a short-term placement, secondment, or intra-corporate transfer for up to one year in Australia.
- the Innovation stream, which allows highly skilled and experienced participants with a demonstrated contribution to innovation to undertake opportunities for up to three years in Australia.
All IECSEP applicants must:
- have a confirmed job in Australia to be eligible to participate in the IECSEP. Applicants will need to provide either a letter of employment offer or a copy of an employment contract when they submit their application.
- be able to demonstrate UK citizenship, and that they have adequate financial means to support themselves for the duration of their stay in Australia.
What is the process for applying?
All applications must be submitted using the IECSEP online application portal. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) is responsible for processing applications. Successful IECSEP applicants will then need to apply to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for a Temporary Work (International Relations) Subclass 403 visa Government Agreement stream. DFAT will issue successful applicants with a Letter of Support, which must be presented to the Department of Home Affairs when applying for this visa. If the visa is granted, the role will commence from the date that the applicant enters Australia under the Subclass 403 visa.
IECSEP is now open for applications. The current round will close at 11.59pm (GMT) on Monday 20 November 2023. DFAT may close this application round on a date before this time. They will provide 7 days' notice on their website prior to closing a round before the advertised date. Total visas available will be 1,000 in the first year, then 2,000 in the second year of operation, during which the IECSEP will be reviewed.
At first glance
There appear to be certain benefits to obtaining a visa under the IECSEP, especially if you meet the skill and qualification requirements. Unlike the Temporary Skill Shortage Subclass 482 visa, there does not appear to be a ‘genuine position’, Skilled Australians Fund (SAF) levy, or labour market testing requirements. All that is required is a confirmed job offer and for applicants to be employed in line with standard Australian wage and work conditions. For UK citizens who have difficulty meeting the requirements of other visas, such as the Subclass 417 or Subclass 482 visas, the IECSEP may be worth looking into.
However, the process of applying for a visa under the IECSEP involves its own complexities. To begin with, it is a two-stage process: DFAT must assess the application and provide a letter of support (Step 1) before a visa application can be made to the DHA, who will then assess whether the applicant meets the requirements for a Subclass 403 visa (Step 2).
In addition, IECSEP participants can only work for the employer identified in the DFAT letter of support; there is currently a very limited quota; and at this stage, neither IECSEP stream appear to offer a direct pathway to permanent residence in Australia. Applicants in the Innovation Stream will also need to demonstrate relevant skills to a very high (and likely subjective) standard.
Further details may be released as the program is implemented.
Comparison: IECSEP vs Subclass 482 vs Subclass 417
For a better understanding of how the IECSEP program compares to existing temporary work visas, below is a brief comparison between the two IECSEP streams, the popular Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Subclass 482 visa, and the Working Holiday Subclass 417 visa.
Visa | IECSEP | IECSEP | Temporary Skill Shortage Subclass 482 | Working Holiday |
Who is it for? | UK professionals in the early stages of their career who want to live and work in Australia for a short period. | Highly skilled UK professionals with a demonstrated contribution to innovation who want to live and work in Australia. | Employer-nominated workers who are filling a position unable to be filled by a suitably skilled Australian. | Young adults who want an extended holiday in Australia and want to work here to fund it. |
Length | Up to 1 year | Up to 3 years | Short-term stream: | 12 months for the first visa, up to a total of 3 years (if eligible for subsequent Working Holiday visas) |
Skill or qualification requirements | Applicants must:
| Applicants must:
| Short-term stream applicants must:
Medium-term stream requirements are as above, except applicants must be nominated in an occupation on the list of eligible medium and long-term skilled occupations. | Applicants must:
|
Unique features and benefits | Offers UK citizens aged between 21 and 45 the opportunity to undertake 12-month placements, graduate rotations, secondments, or intra-corporate transfers. Unlike the Subclass 482, only a job offer is required. There does not appear to be a ‘genuine position’ requirement, Skilled Australians Fund (SAF) levy, or need for labour market testing. Only three months relevant work experience is required, as distinct from the 2 years requirement for the Subclass 482. | Offers the opportunity for experienced UK innovators to work in Australian organisations, including through intra-corporate transfers. Unlike the Subclass 482, only a job offer is required. There does not appear to be a ‘genuine position’ requirement, Skilled Australians Fund (SAF) levy, or need for labour market testing. There is no age cap. | Allows skilled workers to work in Australia for up to 2 years (short-term stream) or up to 4 years (medium-term stream). For many jobs, experience and occupational qualifications (not tertiary qualifications) can be the more relevant factor for assessing suitability. You may change employers so long as proper procedures are followed and a new approved sponsor is secured. | Allows young people aged 18 to 30 (or in some cases 35) to undertake short-term work to help pay for their holiday. Visa holders can study for up to 4 months, travel to and from Australia as many times as they want and/or do 3 months of specified work to become eligible for a second Working Holiday visa. |
Other considerations | Employers must confirm that the applicant will be employed or engaged in Australia in accordance with the standards for wages and working conditions provided for under relevant Australian legislation and awards. IECSEP participants can only work for the employer identified in the DFAT letter of support. | Employers must confirm that the applicant will be employed or engaged in Australia in accordance with the standards for wages and working conditions provided for under relevant Australian legislation and awards. IECSEP participants can only work for the employer identified in the DFAT letter of support. There are no detailed policy guidelines for assessment, so what counts as ‘demonstrated contribution to innovation’ and ‘highly experienced/skilled’ is very subjective. Like the Global Talent visa, much depends on the quality of the written application itself. | In addition to skills requirements, there are many other stringent criteria to meet, including the ‘genuine position’ requirement, Skilled Australians Fund (SAF) levy, and labour market testing requirements. | Applicants must hold a valid passport from an eligible country or jurisdiction. To become eligible for a Second or Third Working Holiday Visa, applicants must complete 3 months of specified work. |
Options for permanent residency | The IECSEP does not include a direct pathway to Australian permanent residence but may contribute towards eligibility in other programs. | The IECSEP does not include a direct pathway to Australian permanent residence but may contribute towards eligibility in other programs. | If eligible, visa holders can apply for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186, Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. | No direct pathway to Australian permanent residence. |
The IECSEP Guidebook contains important information about IECSEP for applicants, their current employers, and prospective employers in Australia. It describes the application process and explains how applications will be assessed.
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