Australia opens MATES ballot, a new work-visa route for young Indian professionals: Details here

Australia has opened ballot registrations for its MATES visa, a new pathway that allows young Indian graduates to live and work in the country for up to two years, without needing an employer to sponsor them.

Under the scheme, Indian nationals aged 18 to 30 with degrees from eligible top-ranked institutions can register for the ballot until 14 December 2025. Registration began on November 1, 2025. Only those selected through the random draw, up to 3,000 primary applicants each year, will be invited to apply for the visa. The registration fee is AUD 25.

The move has drawn strong interest from early-career professionals seeking to gain Australian work experience as the 2025–26 ballot window officially opens.

Candidates do not need a job offer before entering the ballot. If selected, the applicants can live and work in Australia for up to two years. They can even bring eligible family members (family members are not included in the annual cap) and further gain international work experience in key growth sectors.

Only 3,000 primary applicants are selected through the ballot process every year.

To qualify, applicants must have graduated on or after 1 November 2023 with a Bachelor's, Postgraduate diploma, Master’s degree or Doctoral degree from an institution listed in the NIRF India Rankings Overall 2024 (Top 100). They must apply from outside Australia and must not have previously entered the country on a Subclass 403 MATES stream visa.

Eligible fields include renewable energy, mining, engineering, ICT, artificial intelligence, financial technology and agricultural technology, industries where Australia is seeking specialised talent.

Positioned as a short-term mobility route, MATES enables Indian graduates to gain exposure to Australian workplaces before deciding on longer-term migration options through other visa categories.