Designated Area of Migration Agreement (DAMA)

The Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) scheme is an agreement between the Australian government and a regional state, territory authority.

Under the agreement, employers in designated areas experiencing skills and labour shortages can sponsor skilled and semi-skilled international workers.

Individuals cannot directly access a DAMA. They need to be sponsored for an occupation that is specified in the agreement and by an employer located in a designated region.

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Features

To become eligible, the candidate must be: 

  • Uses the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) and Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) visa programs.
  • Offers a pathway for DAMA visa holders for PR (permanent residency)
  • Offer increased flexibility about occupation lists, where employers can potentially engage a larger range of skilled and semi-skilled workers.
  • Provide a range of concessions to employers and visa applicants, such as concessions to the minimum salary, English proficiency and age.
  • Agreement typically is in effect for five years

 

Eligibility

Under DAMA agreements, the following guidelines are strictly reinforced:  

  • the general sponsorship and nomination requirements of the Subclass 482 as applied to all three streams of the Subclass 482;
  • guarantee that nominated occupation must be specified in the relevant labour agreement as an occupation that the party to the labour agreement may nominate;
  • the Department of Home Affairs must be satisfied that the requirements of the labour agreement have been met; and
  • the number of approved nominations for the nominated occupation must not be more than the number of approved nominations under the labour agreement in that year.

 

Application Process 

This is a provisional visa for skilled workers who want to work and live in regional Australia.
 
Individuals under this program can stay in Australia for 5 years.  They can also travel to and from Australia while the visa is valid. 
 

1. Employer seeks endorsement.

The employer must first receive an endorsement from one of the current regional state/territory authorities that have entered into a DAMA agreement (head agreement) with the Australian government.
 
Requirements may vary from region to region; however, the employer will commonly need to meet these criteria:
 
  • Be lawfully operating in the applicable region for a given period (typically minimum of 1 year) 
  • The employer must demonstrate that there have been genuine attempts to secure local labour.
  • No adverse business history in relation to meeting its industrial relations, occupational health and safety obligations towards its employees.
  • Demonstrate the business have and will meet terms and conditions for migrant employees that are compliance with Australian workplace standards
 

2. Employer applies for Labour Agreement

Once the employer receives the endorsement from the regional authority, it can apply for a Labour Agreement with the Department of Home Affairs. 
 

3. The nomination of position and visa application

These steps are the same as those for a Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) subclass 482 visa, namely:
  • A suitable candidate is identified
  • The nomination of position is lodged, including payment of the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy
  • Apply for TSS visa (subclass 482)
 
 
For more information on the seven current DAMAs, visit: 
• The Goldfields, WA: City of Kalgoorlie Boulder
• Great South Coast, VIC: Warrnambool City Council
• Adelaide City and Regional SA: Immigration South Australia