Australia’s Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) program is a unique visa pathway designed to address specific labour shortages in regional areas by offering more flexible eligibility requirements. The following table provides a snapshot of some active DAMA regions and their focus industries to give you an idea of the opportunities available.
📝 Understanding DAMA Visas and Their Advantages
A DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian government and a specific regional area. It allows local businesses to sponsor overseas workers for positions they cannot fill with local Australian talent. For you as a potential applicant, the key appeal of a DAMA visa lies in its concessions, which are flexibilities to the standard visa rules that can make eligibility easier to meet.
The most common concessions include:
- Age Concession: The standard age limit for certain permanent visas is 45. Many DAMA regions increase this limit to 50 or 55 years.
- English Language Concession: While standard visas require competent English (typically an IELTS score of 6.0), some DAMA occupations may accept vocational English (IELTS 5.0) or lower.
- Income Threshold Concession: It is crucial to know that the official Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) is increasing to $76,515 from 1 July 2025. While some DAMAs may have negotiated concessions, the $40,000 figure is likely outdated. Always check the specific DAMA for its current salary settings.
- Pathway to Permanent Residency: Many DAMA visas provide a clear pathway to permanent residence in Australia. For example, in South Australia, this pathway has been reduced to two years for holders of a Skills in Demand visa.
🗺️ The DAMA Application Process
The DAMA visa process is employer-sponsored, meaning you cannot apply by yourself. It involves several key steps:
- Secure a Job Offer: You must first be offered a job by an Australian business operating within a DAMA region.
- Employer Obtains Endorsement: Your potential employer must apply to the local Designated Area Representative (DAR)—such as a regional development authority or chamber of commerce—and get endorsed to use the DAMA.
- Employer Secures a Labour Agreement: The employer then negotiates a formal labour agreement with the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
- Visa Application: Once the employer’s nomination is approved, you can apply for your visa. The common visa subclasses used under DAMA are the Skills in Demand (subclass 482), Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494), and Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visas.
✅ Key Considerations Before You Apply
- You Cannot Self-Sponsor: The entire process depends on finding an employer in a DAMA region who is willing and approved to sponsor you.
- Conditions are Binding: If you are granted a visa, you must comply with its conditions, which typically include working only for your sponsoring employer in the specific regional area.
- Do Your Research: Each DAMA is different. It is essential to research the specific region you are interested in to see its official occupation list and exact concessions.
To find official information, you can:
- Visit the Australian Department of Home Affairs website for an overview of all DAMAs.
- Check the website of the state or regional DAR (e.g., Migration WA or the Northern Territory government site) for detailed occupation lists and concession details.
I hope this overview helps you understand the opportunities presented by Australia’s DAMA program. If you have a specific region or occupation in mind, I may be able to provide more targeted information.