DAMA and Labour Agreements

DAMA (Designation Area Migration Agreements) and Labour Agreements could be an additional pathway to getting working visa and PR

If your occupation does not entitle you to apply for any skilled visa, or you’re over 45, or you can’t pass the English test at the required level there might be an opportunity for you in DAMA or other Labour Agreements. In areas covered by DAMAs for some occupations there might be concessions with regards to age, English and minimum pay (TISMIT)

The DAMA lists might include occupations which are not eligible for any other skilled visa. For example: Truck Driver, Driller Assistant, Bar Manager, Child Carer, Aged Care Worker and many others.

Designated Area Migration Agreements

A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a regional, state or territory authority. It provides access to more overseas workers than the standard skilled migration program. DAMAs operate under an agreement-based framework, providing flexibility for regions to respond to their unique economic and labor market conditions.

A DAMA is a two-tier framework covering a defined regional area. The first tier is an overarching five-year agreement with the regional body/representative. The second tier comprises individual labor agreements with employers under the settings of the head agreement for that region.

Employers must seek and gain endorsement from the Designated Area Representative before lodging a labor agreement request.

Under the DAMA, employers in designated areas experiencing skills and labour shortages can sponsor skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers. Individuals cannot directly access a DAMA – they need to be sponsored by an endorsed employer.

For information about labor agreements or other options for regional areas, the following resources are available on the Home Affair Department’s website:

There are currently 13 DAMAs in place. Below is a list of those DAMAs with links to the respective Designated Area Representative* websites that contain information on how to access each DAMA as well as which regions/locations/shires are covered:

Industry Labour agreements

Industry Labour agreements are for a specific industry with fixed terms and conditions. Following are the existing agreements:

 

Advertising industry

The Advertising Industry Labour Agreement lets you sponsor skilled overseas workers in the following five occupations:

  • Advertising Specialist
  • Graphic Designer
  • Copywriter
  • Multimedia Designer
  • Web Developer.

To request an Advertising Industry Labour Agreement you must receive endorsement from the Media Federation of Australia (MFA) and The Communications Council (TCC). 

 

Aged care industry

The Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement lets you sponsor overseas direct care workers in the aged care sector in the Labour Agreement streams of the:

  • Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa
  • Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa.

The terms and conditions of the agreement are non-negotiable.

Streamlined access to the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement is provided to employers that enter into and maintain a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with relevant industry union(s).

 

Dairy industry

The Dairy Industry Labour Agreement lets you sponsor skilled overseas workers in the occupations of ‘Senior Dairy Cattle Farm Worker’ and ‘Dairy Cattle Farm Operator’ for a temporary stay of up to 4 years and/or for permanent residence.

Fishing industry

The Fishing Industry Labour Agreement lets you sponsor skilled overseas workers in the 6 identified occupations for a temporary period of up to 4 years and/or for permanent residence.

Horticulture industry

The Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement lets you sponsor skilled overseas workers in the 31 identified occupations for a temporary period of up to 4 years and/or for permanent residence. The terms and conditions of the agreement are set and non-negotiable. 

 

Meat industry

The Meat Industry Labour Agreement lets you sponsor skilled overseas workers in the occupation of ‘skilled meat worker’ for a temporary period up to 4 years and/or for permanent residence.

Minister of Religion

The Minister of Religion Industry Labour Agreement (MoRLA) lets you sponsor skilled overseas workers in the occupations of Minister of Religion or Religious Assistants. It allows you to sponsor them for a temporary stay period of up to 4 years and/or for permanent residency.

 

On-hire

The On-hire Industry Labour Agreement lets you sponsor skilled overseas workers on a temporary basis for certain occupations. You can assign them to work for a third party but you must remain the direct employer.

Pork industry

The Pork Industry Labour Agreement lets you sponsor skilled overseas workers in the occupation of ‘senior stockperson (piggery)’ for temporary periods of up to 4 years and/or for permanent residence.  

Restaurant (premium dining) industry

The Restaurant (premium dining) Industry Labour Agreement lets you sponsor skilled overseas workers in Australian premium quality dining restaurants as cooks, chefs, café or restaurant managers and trade waiters for periods of up to 4 years and/or for permanent residence.

 

More details about Industry Labour Agreements are available here