DAMA VISA – LABOUR AGREEMENT

Labour agreements assist approved businesses to sponsor ‘Skilled Overseas Workers’ when there is a need to fill a vacant position that cannot be met in the Australian labour market. They provide solutions when the usual ‘Temporary’ or ‘Permanent’ visa pathways are not available.

There are five types of Labour Agreements namely;

1. Company-Specific Labour Agreement

2. Industry Labour Agreement

3. Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA)

4. Project Agreement

5. Global Talent Scheme (GTS) Agreement

The first 3 are the most popular and in this ‘drop-down’ page will provide an abridged explanation of a ‘Designated Area Agreement’. Please see the additional ‘drop-down’ pages for abridged explanations regarding an ‘Company-Specific Labour Agreement’ and the ‘Industry Labour Agreement’.

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 program. DAMAs operate under an agreement-based framework, providing flexibility for regions to respond to their unique economic and labour market conditions.

A DAMA is a two-tier framework covering a defined regional area. The first tier is an overarching five-year deed of agreement (head agreement) with the region’s Designated Area Representative (DAR) (usually a State or Territory Government or Regional Body such as Chambers of Commerce, Regional Development Australia offices, or Shire Councils) and the Australian Government.

The second tier comprises individual Labour Agreements with employers under the settings of the head agreement for that region. If your vacancy is in a DAMA area and you are having difficulties in recruiting or retaining local labour, a DAMA Visa maybe the solution for you.

​DAMAs contain a range of occupations as well as agreed terms and concessions to skilled visa eligibility criteria, as negotiated between parties. Once a DAMA head agreement is established, businesses in the region may seek individual DAMA Labour Agreements under the head agreement terms and concessions.

Individual DAMA Labour Agreements are between the Australian Government and endorsed employers/businesses operating within the relevant designated region. They are generally in effect for five years, and use the subclass 482 Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS), subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional), and subclass 186 Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) visa programs.

Employers must seek and gain endorsement from the DAR before lodging a labour agreement request.

Where a DAMA Labour Agreement is approved, the business will be able to nominate and sponsor​ skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers for certain occupations (each DAMA head agreement covers a specified range of occupations).

Existing DAMAs​

There are currently 13 DAMA AGREEMENTS in place across Australia which are listed below. If an approved employer in one of these areas nominates you,  and you have the relevant approved skills to apply for migration in a specific category, you will be eligible to progress towards migrating to Australia.

There are 2 in Victoria in the;

Goulburn Valley and
Great South Coast (Warrnambool)

There are 2 in Queensland in;
Townsville and
Far North Queensland 

There are 2 in South Australia in;
Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement and
South Australia Regional and
South Australia Skilled (the whole State)

There is 1 in New South Wales in;

Orana

There is 1 in the Northern Territory in;
For the whole Northern Territory

There are 5 in Western Australia in the;

East Kimberley
Pilbara
South West – Shire of Dardanup.
Goldfields Kalgoorlie/Boulder
Western Australia Government (the whole state)

* DARs work closely with employers and stakeholders in their region to understand their unique labour needs and the broader community views. They undertake annual reviews of DAMA terms/operation and also endorse individual requests from businesses seeking access to DAMA arrangements, prior to the business lodging a DAMA labour agreement request with the Department of Home Affairs.

New DAMAs

The Australian Governments Migration Strategy commits to an evaluation of Regional Migration Settings, including Regional Visas, Regional Definitions, Regional Occupation Lists and DAMAs because it is expected that DAMA Visas will significantly aid this strategy and an employers workforce needs in ‘Regional’ Australia.

Business – Employer?
Are you a business with someone in mind that you’d like to sponsor. If so please complete the ‘Free – No Obligation’ form below and we will contact you within one business day.