The city of Karratha and town of Port Hedland are the latest areas to benefit from the introduction of a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) with the signing of the new Pilbara DAMA.

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke said the establishment of the Pilbara DAMA will play a significant role in building the region by drawing on highly skilled workers who will reside locally and support the local economy. “The Pilbara region has $170 billion worth of investment proposed in the resource industry in the near future, according to the Pilbara Development Commission. This investment will create more employment opportunities that need to be filled by skilled workers”, Minister Hawke said. “A major influx of service workers in aged and health care, education and transportation will be required to support the expanding population and maintain a high level of liveability in the region,” he said. The Pilbara DAMA covers 66 occupations which include engineers and trades to support resource industries, as well as key service occupations like aged and child care and health services. Regional Development Australia (RDA) Pilbara is the Designated Area Representative. RDA Pilbara will administer the process of accessing the Pilbara DAMA which will be open to businesses operating in the Local Government Areas of the City of Karratha and town of Port Hedland. Local businesses can apply individually to access the DAMA from 9 May 2022.