Designated Area Migration Agreements

The South Australian Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a formal agreement between the Australian Government, represented by the Department of Home Affairs and the South Australian Government, Department of Innovation and Skills.

The South Australian Government has entered into two DAMAs:

1. Adelaide Technology and Innovation Advancement Agreement – which focuses on Adelaide’s high-tech growth industries including defence, space, technology and advanced manufacturing industries.
   The Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement Agreement is the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) covering the Adelaide Metropolitan region only.
2. South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement – which focuses on South Australia’s regional high growth industries including agribusiness, forestry, health and social services, tourism and hospitality, construction and mining.
   The South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement is the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) covering the entire state of South Australia.

The DAMAs will enable South Australian employers to sponsor skilled overseas workers for positions they are unable to fill with local workers. Employers experiencing skills and labour shortages can apply for endorsement to enter into a DAMA labour agreement. This enables them to sponsor skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers with more flexible requirements than are available via the standard skilled visa programs.

Immigration SA will undertake the role of Designated Area Representative (DAR), which is responsible for endorsing employers seeking to access overseas workers through the Designated Area Migration Agreements.

• Read the joint media release by Minister from Immigration Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and the South Australian Minister for Innovation and Skills here.

Further details on the DAMA application process will be provided in the coming months.