The plan will allow officials from the Department of Home Affairs to visit regional areas and work directly with regional employers and communities to attract skilled workers. Processing of visas sponsored by employers in regional areas will be fast-tracked. Local councils in regional Australia will also be able to recruit workers from overseas under Designated Area Migration Agreements.
Designated Area Migration Agreement
Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) allow employers to sponsor skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers for positions they are unable to fill with local workers. A DAMA provides flexibility for states, territories or regions to meet the demands of their individual economic and labour market conditions. It is a formal agreement between a Designated Area Representative (DAR) and the Australian Government. For a DAMA to be approved, regions must first demonstrate efforts have been made to recruit local workers and also clearly identify market conditions and gaps as well as demonstrate what local support will be available to migrant workers. Once a DAMA has been approved, businesses that have been assessed and endorsed by the Designated Area Representative can apply to enter into individual labour agreements. DAMAs typically reduced requirements for skills and language criteria for migrant workers but migrants who are employed under a DAMA will typically not be able to move to another area without applying for a different visa.
Currently, the Northern Territory is the only region signed up to an agreement but Warrnambool, a large coastal city in the state of Victoria, is expected to finalise one soon. Agreements are also being discussed for the Orana region in NSW, and Cairns in northern Queensland. South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia are also calling on the government for extra support to attract skilled migrants.
Under the Northern Territory DAMA II, which identifies 117 shortage occupations, it is possible for migrant workers to achieve permanent residency in Australia after three years of working in the NT. The eligible occupations list includes pharmacy technicians and nursing support workers.
The Great South Coast region’s Designated Area Migration Agreement which covers Warrnambool and surrounding areas was announced in December last year. Eligible occupations available under the Great South Coast DAMA are expected to be posted shortly.