Guides
Global Talent visa (subclass 858): closed, and what replaced it
The Global Talent visa stopped taking new applications on 6 December 2024. Employers still search for it, usually because a senior specialist was told it was the fast route to permanence. This page explains what it was, what took its place, and which visas now do that job for an employer.
What it was
A permanent visa for internationally recognised talent
The Global Talent visa granted permanent residence to people with an internationally recognised record of exceptional achievement in a target sector, with a nominator in Australia and an expected salary above a high threshold. It was fast by migration standards and, for a resources employer, attractive because it carried no sponsorship obligations and no occupation list.
It was never an employer visa. The applicant owned the case, the employer’s role was a reference and a salary expectation, and the grant was made to the person, not the position.
What changed
Closed on 6 December 2024, replaced by the National Innovation visa
Applications lodged before the closure continue to be processed. New applicants go through the National Innovation visa (also subclass 858), which is invitation-only: a person submits an expression of interest, the Department selects candidates it considers exceptional, and only those invited can apply. There is no timeline an employer can plan a mobilisation around, and no way to lodge on a worker’s behalf.
For a business that needs a named specialist on site by a date, that makes it the wrong tool, however strong the individual’s record.
What to use instead
The employer pathways that now do the job
- Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Specialist Skills stream. For high-earning specialists above the specialist income threshold, with no occupation list and faster processing. The closest thing to what the Global Talent visa offered an employer, but as a sponsorship the business controls.
- Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186), Direct Entry. Permanent residence sponsored by the employer for a worker with a skills assessment and the required experience.
- Short Stay Specialist visa (subclass 400). If the real need is a defined scope of work over weeks, not a permanent hire.
If a specialist you want to retain is already in Australia on a Global Talent grant, nothing changes for them. If they were waiting on one, talk to us before the role is advertised, because the salary and contract you offer now decide which of the pathways above is open.
Reviewed by a Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1686595) · Last reviewed 16 October 2026
Keep reading
Related pages
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
Core Skills and Specialist Skills streams, thresholds and the nomination process.
Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186)
Permanent residence for a sponsored worker through Temporary Residence Transition or Direct Entry.
Subclass 400 vs subclass 482
Which visa for a defined scope of work: sponsorship, duration, obligations and process compared.
Lost a pathway you were counting on?
Twenty minutes with a Registered Migration Agent. Tell us the role, the salary on offer and when you need the person, and we will tell you which visa is open.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AWST