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:

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.

Related Visa Types

Training Visa Subclass 407

Temporary Activity Visa Subclass 408

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.

Employer Sponsored Visa

Australian employers can sponsor skilled workers, whether already in Australia on a visa or applying from overseas, to meet skill shortage positions in their business.

Skilled Worker Visa

Skilled workers with qualifications and experience in demand can apply for visas to live and work in Australia permanently.

Partner Visa

Partner visas allows an Australian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor their spouse, de facto partner or fiancé to be with them in Australia.

Student or Graduate Visa

International students can study in Australia and apply for post-study temporary work visas.

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