With Australia’s international borders reopening yesterday to almost all temporary visa holders, except for most international tourists and subclass 020 – Bridging visa B holders unless they are exempt otherwise, the government has wasted no time trying to alleviate regional skill shortages. Two more Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) were announced for South West Western Australia, and the Goulburn Valley region in northern Victoria commencing in 2022.

The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Aff​airs announced on Monday a DAMA combining 12 local government areas in Western Australia’s South West region, including the very popular Margaret River area.

This agreement has apparently been in the works for the last three years and will be administered by the Shire of Dardanup, meaning they will be the local government body who will endorse DAMA applications before applications are lodged with the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs).

A further announcement today sees the Goulburn Valley region of northern Victoria also access a DAMA in 2022.

DAMAs are 5-year agreements between a local government region or regions and Home Affairs to allow local businesses to sponsor overseas workers in occupations and settings that cannot be done under the standard business sponsor regime. They are “templated” with set occupations and in many cases salary, English, and age concessions. Because of this, DAMAs make it easier for smaller businesses to access these agreements as processes are standardised and therefore processing times should be faster than other types of labour agreements, such as company specific labour agreements.

Visa applicants under a DAMA usually lodge a subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa and in many cases, access to the permanent subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme visa is possible. For the Adelaide City and South Australian regional DAMA, however, the subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa is available. These visa holders may then progress to the permanent subclass 191 – Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa.

The occupations and concessions available under either these two DAMAs are not yet available. From the media releases, it is expected agriculture, hospitality and even retail and manufacturing occupations may be accessible.