The Australian federal government has decided to make permanent its visa program that was designed primarily to lure in highly-skilled talents for tech companies. The new policy move is seen to further benefit the country’s rising start-up industry.

And over the long-term, the Global Talent – Employer Sponsored (GTES) program is projected to impact positively on the national economy. The visa program, formerly known as the Global Talent Scheme, is projected “to contribute to our economy and create more jobs for Australians,” according to Karen Andrews, the country’s federal minister for Industry, Science and Technology.

“This program will provide our tech companies with the skilled workers they need to be able to do business here in Australia and grow,” the government official was reported by ZDNet as saying.

Specifically, the GTES visa is expected to provide the necessary legs for Australian start-ups to achieve growth, which in the long-run will boost the broader economy.

The GTES, the government said, will lead to success for start-up firms and will result in the generation of more jobs and opportunities for Australians. With the program in full swing, federal authorities are expecting that the GTES ripple effect will make more jobs available for traditional sectors such as sales, marketing, and finance.

The GTES is Australia’s answer to the ongoing digital disruption that prompted many global companies to hunt for premium talents. The visa program allows Australian firms, start-ups or not, to compete with biggies like Apple and Google on a level playing field.

Under the GTES, an Australian start-up can apply for up to five visas per year. On the other hand, bigger or more established companies are given allocations of up to 20 visas for skilled workers they need to recruit per year.

These local companies, start-ups and bigger players alike, are required to prove that the talents they need cannot be sourced locally in order to win approval.

The GTES becoming permanent is a welcome development especially for the start-up industry, according to StartupAUS chief Alex McCauley.

“We are pleased the government recognised the sector’s ongoing need here ... The government is listening to start-ups and the recommendations we have been putting forward,” Mr McCauley told ITNews.