• February 27, 2025

Australia’s Migration Agency signs agreement with KDISC and Norka to recruit healthcare workers

Australia’s Migration Agency signs agreement with KDISC and Norka to recruit healthcare workers

SYDNEY Feb 27: Australia’s Migration Agency (TMA) has formalised a landmark strategic partnership signing an MOU between the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (KDISC) and NORKA ROOTS (Non-resident Keralites Affairs) to create a direct pathway for skilled nurses and aged care workers from Kerala to Australia.

The agreement, signed at the Invest Kerala Summit, the MOU was signed by Dr P.V. Unnikrishnan, Member Secretary KDISC and Ms Sarah Thapa, Managing Director of The Migration Agency aims to address the skilled personnel gap of qualified age care workers and nurses that exists in New South Wales Australia by working with the talented individuals existing in the state of Kerala by upskilling them.

The new talent mobility program will facilitate employment visa processes and ensure compliance requirements are met as well as offering a structured route for Indian healthcare professionals seeking opportunities in Australia.

Ms Sarah Thapa Managing Director The Migration Agency said “We are thrilled to announce the partnership between The Migration Agency and the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council. Kerala is home to one of the worlds’ most highly educated workforce with expertise across healthcare and aged care, technology, engineering and trades.

Aligning Kerala’s high potential, skilled talent pool with Australia’s workforce this initiative works towards strengthening the Australia-India economic relationship while driving innovation, business growth and sustainability across the NSW-India corridor”

The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from the Australian Consulate-General, NSW Trade Commission, and the Kerala Government, highlighting the significance of the collaboration for international workforce mobility.

As Australia continues to face a shortage of skilled healthcare professionals, with demand for nurses and aged care workers expected to rise significantly in the coming years. Kerala, known for its strong education and training systems in healthcare, offers a high-calibre talent pool that can help address these gaps.

Through this agreement, The Migration Agency will work closely with Indian professionals and Australian employers to ensure seamless migration pathways, training support, and workforce integration.

Trade & Investment Commissioner, India Ms Malini Dutt said “NSW boasts a strong network of health precincts for place-based investment opportunities with world-renowned universities, medical research institutes, supported by a comprehensive health ecosystem with state-of-the-art facilities. Westmead Health Precinct is the largest health and biomedical research precinct in Australia. A significant key provider of jobs for the Parramatta and the Greater Western Sydney region, it currently provides over 18,000 health jobs, a number expected to grow to 50,000 jobs by 2036.

The Migration Agency is committed to expanding its Talent Mobility offering through further collaborations with government bodies, businesses, and industry leaders to ensure a robust and sustainable workforce pipeline.