April 23 2024:
Free Trade Agreement: the Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot (IECSEP) provides new opportunities for UK citizens to take their next career step in Australia.

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 take their next career step in Australia.

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 streams under IECSEP:

• 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.

• the Innovation stream, which will allow highly skilled and experienced participants, with a demonstrated contribution to innovation, to undertake opportunities for up to three years in Australia.

Total visas available under the IECSEP will be 1,000 in the first year, and 2,000 in the second year of operation, during which the program will be reviewed.

IECSEP is now open for applications.

The current round for the Early Careers stream has been extended and will close at 11.59pm (BST) on Sunday 30 June 2024.

Round 2 for the Innovation stream will close at 11.59pm (BST) on Sunday 30 June 2024.

DFAT may close application rounds with respect of one or both IECSEP streams on a date before the advertised times above. DFAT will provide 7 days’ notice on this webpage prior to closing a round before the advertised date and time.

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. It will be updated periodically.

All IECSEP applicants must have a confirmed job in Australia to be eligible to participate in the IECSEP. Applicants will need to provide DFAT with either a letter of employment offer, or a copy of an employment contract, to prove their prospective employment in Australia when they submit their application. This document needs to contain specific information in order for DFAT to accept it. You can find more guidance about this requirement in the IECSEP Guidebook. An IECSEP template letter of employment offer [DOCX 21 KB] is available for Australian employers to use.

Don’t miss out on this chance to bridge the gap between the UK and Australia while nurturing talent and innovation!

Contact us for assistance and advice.

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