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What Is DAMA in Australia? The Complete 2026 Guide | Edvise Hub
DAR HEAD AGREEMENT BRIEFING  ·  UPDATED JULY 2026

What is DAMA in Australia — and why every regional employer is talking about it

A Designated Area Migration Agreement can widen an occupation list, lift the age ceiling to 55, and shave years off a permanent residency pathway. Here's exactly how it works, who it's for, and how Edvise Hub gets clients through the door.

In one sentence: DAMA is not a visa — it's a regional labour agreement that lets endorsed employers in 13 designated areas sponsor overseas workers for occupations and conditions outside the standard skilled migration settings, using the subclass 482, 494 and 186 visas.

13Active DAMAs across Australia
55Max age for PR in many regions (vs. 45 standard)
3Visa subclasses used — 482, 494, 186
6States & territories with an active agreement
01 — The Framework

What is a DAMA, really?

A Designated Area Migration Agreement is a formal, five-year deed between the Australian Government and a Designated Area Representative (DAR) — usually a state government, regional development body, or council. It exists because national occupation lists don't reflect what a specific region actually needs.

TIER 01 — HEAD AGREEMENT

Government to region

The Department of Home Affairs signs a head agreement with the DAR, setting the region's expanded occupation list and the concessions available — on age, English, salary and work experience — for that region only.

TIER 02 — LABOUR AGREEMENT

Employer to worker

An individual business inside the region applies to the DAR for endorsement, then lodges a labour agreement request with Home Affairs. Once approved, that employer can nominate and sponsor workers under the DAMA's terms.

The point to remember: DAMA is the agreement, not the visa. The worker still arrives in Australia on a subclass 482 (Skills in Demand), 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional), or 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) visa — just under DAMA's negotiated terms rather than the standard ones.
02 — Why It's Popular

Why applicants who "don't qualify" suddenly do

Most people are pushed toward DAMA after being told they're too old, under-qualified on paper, or working in an occupation that simply isn't on the standard lists. Here's the gap DAMA closes.

SettingStandard skilled migrationUnder a typical DAMA
Age limit for PR Must be under 45 at invitation/nomination Extended to 55 in most regions, occupation-dependent
Occupation list Limited to MLTSSL / STSOL / ROL / CSOL entries Region-specific lists add roles absent from national lists — Orana alone runs to around 129 occupations
English language Competent English (IELTS 6 or equivalent) generally required Reduced thresholds negotiated for select occupations in some regions
Work experience Typically 3 years in the nominated occupation Can be reduced to around 2 years for many roles
Salary threshold (TSMIT) Must meet the full Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold Concessional threshold available for specified occupations, subject to market rate
PR pathway timing 482 to 186 transition generally after 3 years with the sponsor Many agreements allow transition after 2 years

Concessions are negotiated per region and per occupation — none of them apply automatically or universally. Always confirm current terms against the specific DAMA before advising a client.

03 — Who Can Apply

Two sides of the same agreement

DAMA has an employer track and a worker track, and they move in sequence — the employer's endorsement has to exist before a worker's nomination can go anywhere.

An employer can pursue DAMA endorsement if they:

  • ✓Operate a genuine, actively trading business physically located within a designated region
  • ✓Cannot fill the position from the local labour market despite genuine recruitment efforts
  • ✓Are not already covered by an Industry Labour Agreement for that role (e.g. aged care providers, who generally use ACILA or PALM instead)
  • ✓Can demonstrate the business is financially viable and the position is genuine and ongoing
  • ✓Are willing to become an approved sponsor and meet sponsorship obligations, including training commitments for Australian workers

A skilled or semi-skilled worker can be considered under DAMA if they:

  • ✓Have a genuine, approved job offer from a DAMA-endorsed employer in the designated region
  • ✓Work in an occupation that appears on that specific region's DAMA occupation list
  • ✓Meet the skills, qualifications, and (where required) skills assessment for the role — concessions reduce, but rarely remove, this requirement
  • ✓Meet the region's negotiated age, English and salary settings for that occupation
  • ✓Meet standard health and character requirements — these are never waived under any DAMA
04 — The Register

Which occupations, and where

There are 13 active DAMAs. Each has its own occupation list and its own focus, shaped by the region's economy. Filter by state, then open an entry to see its focus and concessions at a glance.

All regions
Western Australia
South Australia
Queensland
Victoria
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Not on the list: the ACT and Tasmania do not currently hold an active DAMA. Standard skilled visa pathways, or a state/territory nomination stream, remain the relevant route for those jurisdictions.
05 — Which States Accept DAMA

Coverage by state and territory

Western Australia leads with five separate agreements, reflecting its dispersed regional labour markets. Six jurisdictions have coverage in total.

06 — Specific Requirements

What you'll actually need to meet

Concessions lower the bar — they don't remove it. Every DAMA application still runs through the same core checkpoints.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

Prove the occupation match

A positive skills assessment is generally still required for skilled roles, alongside relevant qualifications and the negotiated years of experience for that specific occupation.

ENGLISH, AGE & SALARY

Meet the region's negotiated settings

Each occupation on a DAMA list carries its own concession settings — check the exact figures for that role in that region rather than assuming a blanket concession applies.

HEALTH & CHARACTER

Non-negotiable, always

Health examinations and police clearances apply in full under every DAMA — there is no concession pathway around Australia's standard health and character framework.

GENUINE POSITION

The job has to be real

Home Affairs assesses whether the nominated position genuinely exists, is needed, and pays at or above the relevant market rate — DAMA doesn't change this scrutiny.

07 — How To Apply

The application sequence

The employer's endorsement always comes first. Toggle between the employer track and the worker track to see where each step sits.

1

Confirm eligibility

Check the business operates within a designated region and the labour market genuinely can't fill the role locally.

2

Seek DAR endorsement

Apply to the relevant Designated Area Representative — the regional body responsible for vetting employer requests before Home Affairs gets involved.

3

Lodge the labour agreement request

Once endorsed, submit the labour agreement request through ImmiAccount, with supporting evidence of recruitment efforts and business viability.

4

Nominate the position

With the labour agreement approved, nominate the specific role and worker under its terms — then the visa application can proceed.

1

Secure a genuine offer

Obtain a written job offer from a business that already holds — or is actively pursuing — a DAMA labour agreement in that region.

2

Arrange your skills assessment

Get assessed by the relevant body for your occupation (e.g. VETASSESS, TRA), factoring in any experience concession that applies to your role.

3

Wait on employer nomination

Your employer lodges the nomination once their labour agreement is in place — this step sits entirely on the employer's side of the process.

4

Lodge your visa application

Apply for the relevant subclass — 482, 494 or 186 — with health, character and English documentation aligned to your region's negotiated settings.

08 — Frequently Asked

Common questions

Is DAMA a visa I can apply for directly? +

No. DAMA is a labour agreement framework, not a visa subclass. You still apply for a subclass 482, 494 or 186 visa — DAMA simply changes the terms that visa is assessed against.

Can I apply for a DAMA without an employer? +

No. Every DAMA pathway is employer-sponsored. You need a genuine job offer from a business that holds, or is pursuing, an endorsed labour agreement in the relevant designated region.

Does DAMA lead to permanent residency? +

Often, yes. Many DAMAs build a pathway from the subclass 482 into the subclass 186 permanent visa, sometimes after as little as two years with the sponsoring employer, subject to the specific agreement's terms.

Do I have to live and work in the designated region? +

Yes. The concessions apply because you're filling a genuine gap in that specific regional labour market — the position must be located within the employer's operations in the designated area.

Are health and character checks reduced under DAMA? +

No. Concessions apply to age, English, salary, and experience settings — health and character requirements remain exactly as they are under standard skilled migration.

How do I know which occupation list applies to me? +

It depends entirely on the designated region your employer operates in — each of the 13 DAMAs has its own list. This is exactly the kind of detail worth confirming with a registered migration agent before you commit to a role.

Edvise Hub — People. Not Paper.

Not sure if a DAMA pathway fits your situation?

Occupation lists, concessions and endorsement rules shift region by region and change through the year. We'll map your occupation, age and experience against the current agreements and tell you honestly whether DAMA is your fastest route — or whether another pathway serves you better.

Book a consultation
MARN 2619225 — Registered Migration Agent QEAC G12906 — Qualified Education Agent Counsellor edvisehub.com
Edvise Hub · Melbourne & Karachi · This article is general information current as of July 2026, not immigration advice. DAMA terms vary by region and change without notice — confirm current settings with your Designated Area Representative or a registered migration agent before acting.
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