On the 1st of July 2024, a new Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) came into effect in Western Australia. This agreement addresses specific gaps in the state’s workforce by increasing the number of migration places available for current in-demand occupations. In doing so, skilled migration to Western Australia is encouraged, providing opportunities for both employers and visa applicants and strengthening the overall economy. This blog dives into the new DAMA for Western Australia and what it means for employers and visa applicants.
What is a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA)?
A DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a state, territory, or regional authority. They consider the unique economic and labour needs of specific areas by providing more places for migration in addition to the places set in the standard skilled migration program. They also:
- Contain a range of occupations, agreed terms, and concessions to skilled visa eligibility criteria.
- Are generally in effect for five years.
- Utilise the temporary skills shortage visa (subclass 482), skilled employer sponsored regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494), and the employer nominated scheme (subclass 186) visa program.
Currently, 13 DAMAs are in place throughout Australia, including the newly established Western Australia DAMA. The Western Australia DAMA is the fifth DAMA that currently supports the state, complementing the existing Goldfields, Kimberley, Pilbara, and South West DAMAs.
The Western Australia DAMA
Negotiated by the Cook and Albanese Labour Governments, the Western Australia DAMA provides an additional 5,000 skilled migration places for the 2024-25 financial year. These places are for occupations that are in high demand, including building and construction, health and aged care, tourism and hospitality, and agriculture.
As well as the Western Australia DAMA, the state has expanded their State Nominated Migration Program (SNMP), providing an additional 5,000 migration places. This provides a total skilled worker boost of 10,000 migration places for the 2024-25 financial year.
What does this mean for employers?
If you are an employer in Western Australia struggling to find suitable Australian employees, you can sponsor skilled overseas workers through the Western Australia DAMA.
Like all DAMAs, the Western Australia DAMA ensures employers prioritise recruiting Australian citizens and permanent residents first. If no appropriate workers can be sourced locally, an employer can consider nominating and sponsoring skilled migrants. To prove this, a genuine attempt to recruit Australians prior to accessing overseas workers must be demonstrated.
Employers looking to sponsor foreign workers through the Western Australia DAMA must first gain endorsement from an authorised Designated Area Representative (DAR). For Western Australia, the authorised DAR is the Department of Training and Workforce Development through Migration Services (Migration Services). After endorsement has been granted, an employer can apply for the Western Australia DAMA. Here’s how:
- Check eligibility.
- Create a Migration WA Portal profile.
- Connect with and identify skilled migrants.
- Gather documents.
- Apply for Expression of Interest.
- Receive an outcome.
- Apply for the Labour agreement.
What does this mean for visa applicants?
The Western Australia DAMA attracts skilled migrants with a broader list of occupations and a shorter pathway to permanent residency.
You must be fully qualified and legally compliant for the intended job role to be eligible for an employer sponsored visa under the Western Australia DAMA. To ensure this, check that you meet the skills, qualifications, and experience required by the Western Australia DAMA occupation list. You must also comply with any necessary occupation licensing or registration requirements according to migration regulations and state laws.
Whether you are an employer or a skilled worker, the new Western Australia DAMA provides several opportunities to ease labour shortages throughout the state. At AustraliaMigrate, we ensure that employers understand the entire process and meet all requirements when sponsoring skilled migrants under the agreement. For skilled migrants, we can explore visa pathways under the Western Australia DAMA and present your application in the best light for success. Book a visa consultation online with us today.
