DAMA on the Visa 482: Which Regions Have One and Who Benefits
A DAMA — Designated Area Migration Agreement — is a branch of the Labour Agreement stream within the visa 482. It lets local and regional authorities sign an agreement with the Department of Home Affairs to recruit foreign workers under more flexible conditions than the standard CSOL.
What a DAMA is
A DAMA is a special agreement between the Department and the authority for a specific region (usually a state or territory government or a regional council). The agreement lets that region:
- Recruit workers for occupations not on the standard CSOL
- Apply lower English requirements in some cases
- Apply salary conditions below TSMIT in some cases (conditionally)
- Prioritise workers for industries and regions facing severe shortages
Which regions have a DAMA
Regions with their own DAMA as at 2026 (check the latest list on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au):
- Northern Territory (NT)
- South Australia (regional areas)
- Great South Coast (Victoria)
- Orana (NSW)
- South West WA
- And other regions, depending on the round of agreements
The list changes over time — always check the official Department page.
Which occupations a DAMA allows that the CSOL does not
Each DAMA has its own list of occupations specially approved for that region. These are usually in:
- Agriculture and food processing
- Hospitality and tourism (regional)
- Construction and infrastructure engineering
- Health and community care in remote areas
- Skilled trades and advanced technical occupations
The process for applying for a visa 482 through a DAMA
The process through a DAMA differs from the standard 482:
- The employer must contact the DAMA regional authority — not lodge directly with the Department
- The regional authority reviews and endorses the employer
- The employer signs an Individual Agreement with the Department (a form of Labour Agreement)
- Only then come the nomination and visa, as usual
Not everyone who wants to can take part — the employer must operate within the DAMA region and meet that region’s conditions.
Who a DAMA suits
A DAMA suits:
- People whose occupation is not on the CSOL but is on the DAMA list for a specific region
- People who do not meet standard TSMIT but qualify for the lower DAMA income requirement
- People who do not meet the standard English requirement but qualify under the DAMA
- People who want to live and work in regional or remote Australia
DAMA and the PR pathway
Some DAMAs have a mechanism leading to the visa 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) after a period of work in that region — opening a PR pathway that the standard 482 does not automatically guarantee.