Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA's)
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 programs.
DAMAs operate under an agreement-based framework, providing flexibility for regions to respond to their unique economic and labour market conditions
It offers applicants the chance to apply for a Temporary Skill Shortage 482 Visa and the Employer Nomination Scheme 186 visa
(Labour Agreement Streams).
VISA STATUS
Temporary or Permanent residency Skills in Demand 482 pathway is a temporary visa. The ENS 186 is a permanent visa. Please note the SID 482 pathway can lead to permanent through the ENS 186. (dependant on Labour Agreement terms) |
PROCESSING TIMES
Processing times are not published by Immigration |
VISA COSTS
482 Visa Cost Main Applicant $3210 Additional Applicant (over 18) $3210 Additional applicant (under 18) $806 Nomination fees $330 Labour Agreement Nil DAMA endorsement Typically no fee 186 Visa Cost Main Applicant $4910 Additional Applicant (over 18) $2455 Additional applicant (under 18) $1230 Nomination fees $550 (unless exempt) Labour Agreement Nil Other Immigration fees can also apply for DAMA applications - Migration Agent Fees - Skills Assessment Fees - Medicals - Police Certificates - English Language Testing |
LOCATION
Businesses can access the Goldfields DAMA if they are actively operating in the Goldfields region. Applicants can apply for positions directly with the approved businesses in the Goldfields region. |
VISA REQUIREMENTS
LABOUR AGREEMENT STREAM (SID 482 or ENS 186)
EMPLOYER
What is a Designated Area Representative? Businesses seeking to access a DAMA must first obtain endorsement from an authorised Designated Area Representative (DAR). Authorised by Home Affairs, a Designated Area Representative (DAR) manages and oversees a DAMA for businesses within a specified area.
What is a Labour Agreement?An approved Home Affairs Labour Agreement allows endorsed businesses to sponsor skilled workers through a specific visa pathway, and:
- is generally in effect for five years; and
- uses the Labour Agreement stream of the:
- Skills in Demand (formerly TSS) visa programs,
- SESR visa programs, and
- ENS visa programs.
Five DAMAs have been established in Western Australia to address local worker shortages. Each DAMA has been tailored to meet unique regional labour demands providing local businesses access to visa concessions to help attract skilled migrants.
- The Goldfields (to be merged with WA DAMA)
- Kimberley
- Pilbara
- South West
- Western Australia (WA DAMA)
What is the Western Australian Designated Area Migration Agreement?
The WA DAMA was established in July 2024 in response to strong demand from employers to fill jobs in key areas of WA.
Designated area: access to the WA DAMA is available to businesses operating in the following post codes:
- Category 2 (Metropolitan Perth): 6000 to 6038, 6050 to 6083, 6090 to 6182, 6208 to 6211, 6214 and 6556 to 6558
- Category 3 (Regional WA): all post codes in Western Australia not mentioned in Category 2.
EMPLOYEE - WA DAMA
Requirements include:
- Have at least one year of relevant full-time or part-time pro rata equivalent work experience for the Skills in Demand (formerly TSS) visa program; or have at least two years of relevant full-time or part-time pro rata equivalent work experience for the SESR or ENS visa programs, where the nominated worker will be living and working in Regional Western Australia; or have at least three years of relevant full-time work experience or part-time pro rata equivalent work experience for the SESR or ENS visa programs, where the nominated worker will be living and working in Metropolitan Perth.
- Increased age limit for visa applicants from 45 to 55 years.
- English language concessions are available for Skill Levels 3 and 4.
- The permanent visa pathway concession is only available for ENS visa pathway endorsement requests.
- VETASSESS assess a number of skilled and semi-skilled occupations under some DAMAs, for overseas workers who intend to migrate to Australia under the DAMA program
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE DAMA LABOUR AGREEMENT PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM IN THE LINK BELOW AND WE WILL CONTACT YOU.