Although there has been a large body of literature exploring personal and professional challenges of international academics, limited research has been conducted in exploring international academics' experiences in gaining leadership positions at Australian universities. This paper fills this gap by investigating key factors of gaining such leadership position opportunities. It draws on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 26 international academics at Australian universities. Based on the findings, international academics are appreciated and recognized by management in Australian universities, given that they are provided with considerable opportunities to take on leadership positions based on their excellent contributions in teaching, research and service to their university. The implications of these findings for international academics and higher education institutions are also considered.