Designated Area Migration Agreements
Discover Regional Australia Through DAMA Opportunities
Explore how DAMA agreements work, which regions are involved and the opportunities they can create for skilled workers and employers in regional Australia.
A regional pathway with real opportunities
Regional Australia depends on skills that local workforces cannot always supply. A Designated Area Migration Agreement is one of the ways that need is met: an agreement between the Australian Government and a designated region that lets employers in that area sponsor overseas workers under settings negotiated for the region.
It is a regional pathway rather than a general one. The occupations, concessions and obligations belong to the agreement covering the region you are researching, and nothing here should be read as a promise of a job, a nomination or a visa.
What is a DAMA?
A Designated Area Migration Agreement is an agreement between the Australian Government and a designated region. It allows employers in that region to sponsor overseas workers under arrangements tailored to local labour needs.
A DAMA is not a visa and it is not something an individual applies for directly. The employer lodges a labour agreement request under the specific DAMA, and if approved, the worker then applies for the relevant visa associated with that agreement.
Because each agreement is negotiated for a region, the occupations, concessions and obligations differ between DAMAs. Two regions in the same state can operate under different settings.
Why it matters for regional Australia
DAMA arrangements help regional communities access the skills they need to grow, create jobs and strengthen local industries.
Who can benefit?
Skilled workers
DAMAs are designed around regional workforce shortages. They can be relevant to skilled tradespeople, health and aged care workers, transport and logistics workers, hospitality staff, agriculture workers and others in occupations listed within an agreement.
Employers
The sponsoring employer must be operating lawfully in the designated region and must meet the obligations attached to the labour agreement, including employment conditions and record keeping.
How DAMA sponsorship works
The process normally begins with an employer who can demonstrate a genuine need for a worker in an occupation covered by the agreement.
What happens, step by step
- Regional endorsement. The employer seeks endorsement from the region’s designated area representative.
- Labour agreement request. The employer requests a labour agreement with the Department of Home Affairs.
- Nomination. If the agreement is granted, the employer nominates the worker for the approved position.
- Visa application. The worker applies for the visa associated with that agreement.
What the process asks of an employer
Employers generally need to demonstrate that they have attempted to recruit locally, that the position is genuine and that employment terms meet Australian workplace requirements.
Workers should confirm who the sponsor is, what the role involves and what happens if the employment relationship ends.
Every step has evidence requirements, and timings vary. Nothing in this summary replaces the specific agreement document or departmental guidance.
A directory built on verified sources, not assumptions
The region directory is being prepared with a fixed structure, so every entry carries the same verifiable detail: the region, its administering organisation, the occupations covered, any verified concessions, the agreement status, an official source and the date the details were last checked.
No region or agreement is listed until those details can be confirmed. Entries that cannot be verified are not published, and nothing on this page should be treated as confirmation of an agreement’s current terms.
How to research participating regions
Start with the occupation. Identify whether it appears in agreements covering the regions you are considering, then check the region’s designated area representative and current documentation.
Compare practical factors alongside the migration question: housing availability, employment demand, climate, services and distance to major centres.
Use the RegionalOZ research dashboard to keep those comparisons in one place as you work through the detail.
Directory in preparation. RegionalOZ publishes a DAMA region only once its agreement and concessions can be checked against an official source. Until then, work from the departmental listings at the foot of this article.
Where to continue your research
- Regional profiles — lifestyle, housing, climate and services by area.
- Visa and sponsorship pathways — how nominated and sponsored visas compare.
- Research dashboard — keep the regions and pathways you are comparing in one place.
Requirements, concessions and obligations
What applies to you is set by the agreement covering the region, and often by the occupation within it. These sections describe the questions that decide whether a DAMA is worth pursuing.
Occupations and eligibility
Each DAMA specifies the occupations it covers and may map them to an ANZSCO classification. Some agreements include occupations that are not on standard skilled lists for that region.
Eligibility also depends on the visa subclass associated with the agreement, the worker’s skills and experience, English language requirements, health and character requirements, and the employer’s approved nomination.
Occupation coverage changes. Always confirm the current list in the agreement documentation rather than relying on a summary.
Possible concessions
Depending on the agreement, concessions may be negotiated in relation to age, English language, salary arrangements, or the qualifications and experience required for the occupation.
Concessions are specific to the agreement and often to particular occupations within it. There is no universal DAMA age limit, salary threshold or English standard.
RegionalOZ does not publish concession details unless they can be verified against the agreement or an official source, and any figure should be re-checked before it informs a decision.
Employer sponsorship requirements
The sponsoring employer must be operating lawfully in the designated region and must meet the obligations attached to the labour agreement, including employment conditions and record keeping.
Employers generally need to demonstrate that they have attempted to recruit locally, that the position is genuine and that employment terms meet Australian workplace requirements.
Workers should confirm who the sponsor is, what the role involves and what happens if the employment relationship ends.
Permanent residency considerations
Some DAMA arrangements include access to a permanent residency pathway for eligible visa holders, typically after a period of regional employment and subject to the requirements of the relevant agreement and visa.
Not every agreement includes the same pathway, and availability can change when an agreement is varied or renewed.
Where a pathway exists, the conditions and evidence requirements should be confirmed before you commit to a relocation.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions that come up before people look at a specific region or agreement.
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