The first registration window for the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) opened on 9 December 2025, allowing Indian graduates in priority STEM fields to enter a lottery for one of 3,000 temporary work visas (subclass 403) each year. The ballot system mirrors New Zealand’s working-holiday draw and is designed to manage demand transparently after previous first-come, first-served models crashed online portals.
Successful entrants will receive an invitation to apply for a two-year visa that permits unrestricted work in Australia, with a streamlined pathway to the new Skills in Demand visa for those who secure eligible employment. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree (or higher) obtained within the past eight years in disciplines such as renewable energy, mining, ICT or ag-tech, and be aged 18-30 at the time of application.
![Ballot opens for Australia–India MATES visa, offering 3,000 places from 2026]()
Australian tech and resources firms have lobbied for the scheme as a way to plug talent shortages without committing to permanent sponsorship upfront. Consulting giant Deloitte estimates the pilot could contribute AUD 180 million to GDP in its first year if conversion rates to longer-term visas track at 35 per cent.
The Department of Home Affairs says the ballot will remain open for two weeks, with results emailed in early January. Unsuccessful registrants can re-enter future ballots but must pay the AUD 25 registration fee each time. Migration agents report keen interest, noting that the capped places make the odds more favourable than Canada’s International Experience class or the U.S. H-1B lottery.
Employers are advised to familiarise themselves with the scheme’s conditions: MATES visa-holders cannot be nominated under labour-agreement streams but may move freely between jobs. HR directors planning 2026 graduate intakes have been urged to adjust onboarding timelines to align with expected visa-grant periods.
Successful entrants will receive an invitation to apply for a two-year visa that permits unrestricted work in Australia, with a streamlined pathway to the new Skills in Demand visa for those who secure eligible employment. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree (or higher) obtained within the past eight years in disciplines such as renewable energy, mining, ICT or ag-tech, and be aged 18-30 at the time of application.
Australian tech and resources firms have lobbied for the scheme as a way to plug talent shortages without committing to permanent sponsorship upfront. Consulting giant Deloitte estimates the pilot could contribute AUD 180 million to GDP in its first year if conversion rates to longer-term visas track at 35 per cent.
The Department of Home Affairs says the ballot will remain open for two weeks, with results emailed in early January. Unsuccessful registrants can re-enter future ballots but must pay the AUD 25 registration fee each time. Migration agents report keen interest, noting that the capped places make the odds more favourable than Canada’s International Experience class or the U.S. H-1B lottery.
Employers are advised to familiarise themselves with the scheme’s conditions: MATES visa-holders cannot be nominated under labour-agreement streams but may move freely between jobs. HR directors planning 2026 graduate intakes have been urged to adjust onboarding timelines to align with expected visa-grant periods.
