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 12 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:
- Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement, SA: Skilled & Business Migration
- East Kimberley, WA: East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Far North Queensland, QLD: Cairns Chamber of Commerce,
- Goulburn Valley, VIC: Goulburn Valley
- Great South Coast, VIC: Warrnambool City Council
- Northern Territory, NT: Northern Territory Designated Area Migration Agreement
- Orana, NSW: Regional Development Australia – Orana, NSW
- Pilbara, WA: website being developed
- South Australia Regional, SA: Skilled & Business Migration
- South West, WA: Shire of Dardanup
- The Goldfields, WA: City of Kalgoorlie Boulder
- Townsville, QLD: Townsville Enterprise Limited