WA DAMA Employer Sponsorship: Lower Thresholds, Broader Occupations, 5,000 Positions Open!

WA DAMA Employer Sponsorship: Lower Thresholds, Broader Occupations, 5,000 Positions Open!

From July 2024, the brand-new WA DAMA agreement has officially come into effect, injecting new vitality into Western Australia’s employer-sponsored migration landscape.

WA DAMA represents a new chapter in employer sponsorship, granting Western Australian employers unprecedented autonomy to precisely address urgent local labour market needs. Its comprehensive occupation list and rich preferential policies far surpass previous arrangements, with most occupations paving a clear pathway to permanent residency, making it a rising star in visa planning.

With the addition of WA DAMA, Western Australia now has five DAMA regions, working alongside the federal government to build a more comprehensive workforce solution system. Goldfields, Kimberly, Pilbara, and South West WA had already joined the ranks, and WA DAMA’s strong arrival undoubtedly adds new momentum to this system.

Currently, the WA DAMA EOI system is fully open. Employers interested in obtaining employer sponsorship through this pathway are invited to visit the Western Australian Government’s official website at migration.wa.gov.au to easily submit applications and access the latest information.

Advantage 1: Massive Occupation Expansion

WA DAMA divides Western Australia into two categories: Perth Metropolitan and Regional. Perth focuses more on high-skill level occupations, while non-Perth regions provide employer sponsorship opportunities for more Skill Level 3-4 occupations.

WA DAMA currently includes 310 occupations across agriculture, construction, engineering, healthcare, education, mechanical trades, mining, and select IT sectors. All occupations are open to non-Perth employers, with 271 occupations available to Perth-area employers.

Occupations previously considered non-migratory, such as Child Care Worker, Marine Surveyor, and Truck Driver, can now be sponsored through WA DAMA in Perth, with pathways to permanent residency!

Advantage 2: More Relaxed Application Requirements

For different occupations, DAMA offers varying degrees of concessions on age, work experience, and English language requirements, making it easier for applicants to meet the criteria.

Specific WA DAMA concessions include:

Work Experience: 1 year full-time (part-time can be pro-rated) relevant work experience to apply for a 482 visa. If the employer is in a non-Perth region, 2 years of full-time relevant work experience is sufficient for 186/494; Perth region still requires 3 years.

Age: The standard age limit for 186/494 visas is 45. Under WA DAMA, the age ceiling is raised to 55.

English: The baseline English requirement under WA DAMA is IELTS 5.0. For Skill Level 1-2 occupations, English requirements cannot be further reduced. For Skill Level 3-4 occupations, the 482/494 English requirement can be lowered to a total score of 5 with no sub-score minimum, and the 186 English requirement can go as low as total 5 with minimum 4 in each band.

However, occupations requiring client-facing roles, involving workplace health and safety risks, or requiring professional registration/licensing cannot apply for English requirement concessions.

Advantage 3: Permanent Residency Within Reach

Take Child Care Worker as an example. This occupation is not on the skilled migration occupation list, making 189/190/491 visas unavailable. Before WA DAMA, applicants in Perth had to relocate to more remote areas to find local employers. Now, WA DAMA not only helps Perth employers retain talent but also allows applicants to avoid the hassle of changing employers, directly achieving employer sponsorship in Perth with a clear pathway to permanent residency.

Important Notes

WA DAMA serves as a supplement to Western Australia’s existing labour shortage response measures. The WA Government explicitly states that if an employer’s region or the nominated occupation can be processed through the existing four regional DAMAs, the relevant DAMA application should be submitted directly to the local DAR.

Similarly, if the nominated occupation can be addressed through an existing Labour Agreement with the Department of Home Affairs, the nomination will only be considered by WA DAMA if the applicant works in an industry different from those specified in the relevant Labour Agreement.