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Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA)

Attracting skilled talent to regional Australia through flexible migration solutions.

Australia’s Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) program is designed to support regional employers experiencing genuine skills shortages. DAMAs offer greater flexibility than standard skilled migration pathways by allowing concessions to age, English, and salary requirements, enabling businesses to sponsor overseas workers for positions that may not be eligible under standard visa streams.

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    What is a DAMA?

    A DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a regional, state, or territory authority. It provides access to a broader range of occupations and allows certain concessions to standard visa requirements, such as age, English language proficiency, and salary.

    Employers can use a DAMA to sponsor workers under the following visa subclasses:

    A DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a regional, state, or territory authority. It provides access to a broader range of occupations and allows certain concessions to standard visa requirements, such as age, English language proficiency, and salary.

    Employers can use a DAMA to sponsor workers under the following visa subclasses:

    • Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa
    • Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
    • Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme visa (in specific DAMAs with PR pathways)

    Key features of the DAMA program

    • Broader occupation lists

    DAMAs include many occupations not available on the Core skilled occupation List, such as a restaurant manager.

    • Age concessions

    Some DAMAs allow sponsorship for workers up to 55 years of age.

    • English language concessions

    Lower English language requirements may apply depending on the occupation and location.

    • Pathway to permanent residency

    Many DAMA arrangements offer clear PR pathways after working in the designated area for a specified period (usually 2–3 years).

    • Labour agreement stream

    All DAMA sponsorships are processed under the Labour Agreement stream of the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) and Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visas.

    Who can use a DAMA?

    DAMA is suitable for:

    • Regional businesses
    • Skilled and semi-skilled workers whose occupation is not on the standard skilled occupation list
    • Migrants seeking a pathway to PR while working in regional Australia

    To access a DAMA, the employer must first obtain endorsement from the relevant regional authority before applying for a Labour Agreement with the Department of Home Affairs.

    How to apply for a visa under a DAMA?

    Here’s how the DAMA process typically works:

    • Endorsement application

    The employer applies to the designated regional authority for endorsement.

    • Labour agreement request

    Once endorsed, the employer lodges a Labour Agreement request with the Department of Home Affairs.

    • Nomination and visa application

    After the agreement is in place, the employer can nominate the position, and the overseas worker can apply for a visa under the Labour Agreement stream.

    AustraliaMigrate: Your DAMA specialists

    We assist employers and visa applicants throughout the entire DAMA process:

    • Identifying eligible occupations under the relevant DAMA
    • Preparing and lodging endorsement applications
    • Negotiating Labour Agreements with the Department of Home Affairs
    • Preparing and lodging nominations and visa applications
    • Advising on PR transition and compliance

    With deep expertise and experience in Employer-Sponsored Migration in both regional and non-regional Australia, we are here to simplify and navigate the DAMA process for you.

    What type of visa are you looking for?

    We are a team of immigration specialists guiding individuals, families and corporates who aspire to migrate to Australia. Our migration consultancy has a successful track record in visa approval, with a fair fee structure.

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