A-UK FTA - Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot.
As part of the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) the Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot (IECSEP) provides new opportunities for UK citizens to work in Australia.
The IECSEP aims to build on the existing connections between Australia and the UK, by establishing a new and streamlined mobility pathway for early career professionals and demonstrated innovators from the UK.
There are two categories available for UK citizens:
the Early Careers Skills stream, which will allow participants to undertake a short-term placement, secondment, or intra-corporate transfer for up to one year in Australia in a position relevant to their field of work in the sending organisation
the Innovation stream, which will allow participants with a demonstrated contribution to innovation to undertake opportunities for up to three years in Australia.
Early Careers Skills Stream
To be eligible for the program, applicants must be:
UK citizens aged between 21 and 45 years of age at the time of application
hold tertiary qualifications
have worked for a minimum of three months in the sending organisation (including as graduate trainees)
Innovation Stream
To be eligible for the program, applicants must be highly experienced and skilled UK citizens from any sector, with a demonstrated contribution to innovation in areas including:
Research and Development
Renewable Energy
Artificial Intelligence
Medical Technology
FinTech
AgriTech
Audio-visual and Cultural industries
For both categories, applicants must:
have a letter of offer or contract of employment; and
provide other supporting documentation as required.
Successful applicants will need to apply for a Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (sc 403) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will issue successful applicants with the required Letter of Support, which must be presented at the time of visa application.
Stirling Henry can assist interested candidates and businesses in the UK with support letters, sponsorships and visa applications under the IECSEP.
How can employers and businesses benefit?
The IECSEP recognises the importance of innovation and skills mobility to the economies of Australia and the United Kingdom. The IECSEP will provide Australian employers with an opportunity to access innovative and early-career professionals from the UK, through the pilot of a new and streamlined temporary mobility pathway from the UK to Australia.
UK organisations will benefit from employee upskilling, as well as a way of providing key staff with an international career development opportunity.
The Innovation stream will provide a unique opportunity for highly experienced and skilled UK innovators to work in Australian organisations for up to three years, including through intra-corporate transfers.
The Early Careers stream will give Australian organisations the opportunity to participate in 12-month secondments, placements, or intra-corporate transfers of tertiary qualified UK professionals who are early in their career.
If the IECSEP sounds right for your Australian organisation, talk about possible staffing opportunities under the IECSEP with your UK partners, or with suitably qualified potential applicants in the UK. Likewise, UK organisations looking to develop staff through IECSEP should reach out to Australian partners.
Stirling Henry Global Migration is able to assist both Australian and UK companies with the IECSEP process, including the required support letters and other required documentation.