A new partnership between the Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce (the Taskforce) and The Dream Collective aims to provide a supportive and empowering environment for the best and brightest female talent, founders and entrepreneurs from Asia in Australia.

The gender gap at technology companies in Southeast Asia exacerbates the broader problems that women face in all industries, with women making up more than 50% of university graduates but fewer than 15% of CEO and board-level positions in Southeast Asia. The Australian Government initiative has been developed to secure and nurture female talent and provide more professional opportunities for the highly-skilled Asian workforce to support innovation and grow APAC’s start-up economy.

Via the programme, eligible individuals and companies will be offered a streamlined pathway to permanent residency with Australia’s Global Talent Visa. Australia is a sought-after destination for the bold and ambitious. With a culture of innovation and creativity, Australia tops The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s rankings for Talent Attractiveness.

More than 6000 talented individuals have received a Global Talent visa to Australia over the past two years. Of these, more than 30 percent of talent are in the Digitech sector, including experts in quantum computing, blockchain and long-range Wi-Fi. At the same time, one quarter are researchers and entrepreneurs in the health and life sciences industry. 

A further 20 percent of visa recipients are pioneers in resources and clean energy, while the remainder works across fields such as biotechnology and the development of advanced manufacturing materials.

Female talent across Asia Pacific who work in pioneering industries – including advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, financial services (including fintech), energy, renewables and resources, the circular economy, agrifood, cybersecurity, defence, space and infrastructure – are encouraged to apply for the visa. 

The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Global Business and Talent, Peter Verwer, AO said: “Bold and ambitious women with the creative energy and technical expertise need to be given the opportunity to fill critical positions in our future-facing industries. Our emerging technologies and sciences are powering real world, breakthrough solutions. Innovators in Australia can access some of the world’s best laboratories, research facilities, professional networks and government support. The Global Talent visa makes it easier and faster to plan your next chapter, and build a global career.”

Sarah Liu, Founder and Managing Director of The Dream Collective, said: “Despite the global pandemic, the APAC economy has demonstrated incredible resilience over the past 18 months and is fast becoming a global destination of innovation and growth. Australia is increasingly being recognised for its competitive professional opportunities and the quality of life it offers.

“Australia is now ranked the fifth most startup friendly country in the world, gaining strong momentum year on year. Its support for female-led businesses is also reflected in the investment ecosystem backing female founders, with a raft of grants and economic statements that female business leaders can access, making it an attractive destination to start, join and scale businesses.

“An estimated one million jobs are to be created by the technology industry alone by 2025 and companies across the board are actively seeking top talent, especially women in international markets, to fuel the growth of the economy. It’s an exciting time to be in Australia and I would encourage women across the world to consider and look into the incredible opportunities Australia can offer them both on a professional and personal level,” Ms Liu continued. 

Yu-Ling Hsueh, a quantum computing expert who relocated from Taiwan to Sydney, Australia said: “Getting an Australian Global Talent visa was surprisingly quick. One of the stand-out features about living in Australia is seeing how people from different backgrounds all work and live with each other in harmony. I love the work-life balance, the easy access to beaches, mountains, city culture, and of course – the amazing food.”

Kim Jans, a medtech expert who relocated from Belgium to Perth, Australia said: “As a woman we can really suffer a little bit sometimes from Imposter Syndrome. We don’t always feel good enough. When I heard about this Global Talent Visa program, I also thought maybe I’m not good enough, but I gave it a shot. And Australia even gave me the confidence to start my own business, which is a great exciting new step in my career.”