DAMA South Australia
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DAMA for South Australia- An Overview
The South Australian Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a formal agreement between the Australian Government which is represented by the Department of Home Affairs and the South Australian Government, Department of State Development.
The DAMAs allow South Australian employers to sponsor skilled and competent overseas workers for roles that can not be filled locally. Employers who are going through labor and skill shortages can apply for endorsement in order to establish a DAMA labor agreement.
Options for Sponsorship
Local South Australian businesses are enabled by the employer-sponsored visa programs. They do so to fill skills requirements due to being unable to locally fill a skilled position.
Regional Certifying Body (RCB)
If you happen to be a South Australian business that is unable to fill a skilled position locally, then the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) visa (subclass 494 Employer Sponsored Stream) can serve your best interests. It enables your business to sponsor skilled migrants who are either living overseas or in Australia. It also qualifies businesses across South Australia including Adelaide and other regional areas.
Who is Eligible for the South Australia DAMA?
Application can be done by South Australian businesses who:-
- Are a Standard Business Sponsor (or have applied to become one)
- Have a genuine requirement for a paid employee to fill a skilled position
- Have gone through labour market testing but failed in filling the position locally
- Are looking to fill positions that are full-time skilled and likely to last for at least 5 years
- Have applied for the Regional Certifying Body (RCB) Advice
- Meet the criteria of the Department of Home Affairs
How to Apply for a South Australia DAMA Visa?
Applying for a South Australia DAMA Visa has numerous steps. They ensure both the employer and employee meet the eligibility requirements. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the entire process:-
- Checking Employer Eligibility
The employer must stay in South Australia. He/She also needs to demonstrate a genuine requirement to fill a skilled position which he/she is unable to fill locally.
- Obtaining Endorsement
To access the DAMA labour agreement, the employer applies for endorsement from the South Australian Government.
- Entering into a Labour Agreement
After obtaining endorsement, the employer negotiates and enters into a formal labour agreement with the Department of Home Affairs.
- Nominating the Overseas Worker
The employer then nominates the skilled overseas worker for an appropriate visa. Typically, it is either Subclass 482 or 494.
- Apply for the Visa
The nominated worker then submits a visa application to the Department of Home Affairs. It includes all the required documents and also meets visa-specific criteria.
- Receiving RCB Advice (if applicable)
As part of the nomination process, for SESR Subclass 494 visas, Regional Certifying Body (RCB) advice must be obtained.
Regional Certifying Body Advice
For employer nomination applications for this visa, the Department of Home Affairs requires Regional Certifying Body (RCB) advice. Skilled & Business happens to be the RCB for South Australia.
Role of Regional Certifying Body
A Regional Certifying Body’s role involves offering advice to the Department of Home Affairs on SESR nomination applications. The nominations of employers must always be considered by an RCB that is located in the same state where the nominated position is present.
If you happen to be a local business looking to sponsor a migrant on this visa, then you must file an application with Skilled & Business Migration for Regional Certifying Body advice.
Types of DAMAs in South Australia
Currently, two distinct DAMAs are offered by South Australia. They are customized accordingly to cater to the specific workforce needs of both metropolitan and regional areas.
Those DAMAs assist local businesses in addressing skill shortages. They also attract suitable talent from overseas.
Adelaide City
To address skill shortages within the Adelaide metropolitan region, the Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement DAMA has been developed. Through this agreement, local South Australian employers are enabled to sponsor skilled workers from overseas. This takes place in prime sectors such as space, defence, technology, and advanced manufacturing.
This DAMA provides employers with access to a highly skilled workforce. The competence of such a workforce is indeed necessary for assisting in the growth of innovations and industries.
South Australia Regional
To address skills shortages across the entire state of South Australia, the South Australian Regional Workforce Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) has been designed. It primarily focuses on South Australia’s regional high-growth industries. Those include agribusiness, forestry, health and social services, tourism and hospitality, and construction and mining. The South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement is the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA). The entire state of South Australia is covered by it.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the South Australia DAMA and how does it work?
The South Australian DAMA (Designated Area Migration Agreement) is a partnership between the Australian Government (Department of Home Affairs) and the South Australian Government. It permits eligible local businesses to sponsor skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers. They do so for roles that they cannot fill locally.
Who can sponsor workers under the South Australia DAMA?
Only eligible South Australian employers who are facing shortages of skills and labour can apply to sponsor. They must first gain endorsement from the Designated Area Representative (DAR). Afterwards, they need to nominate overseas workers for visas under Subclass 482, Subclass 494, or ENS Subclass 186.
Which regions are covered by DAMA in South Australia?
South Australia has two active DAMAs. They are as follows:-
- Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement DAMA
It covers the Adelaide metropolitan region. It targets sectors such as defence, space, technology, and advanced manufacturing.
- South Australia Regional Workforce DAMA
It covers the entire state and focuses on industries such as agribusiness, tourism, health and hospitality.
What visa options are available under the South Australia DAMA?
Employers can sponsor workers through the following:-
- Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand),
- Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional – SESR), and
- Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) where applicable. Certain DAMA agreements also provide direct pathways to permanent residency.
What concessions are provided under the DAMA framework?
The South Australia DAMA provides the following concessions:-
- Age limit extended up to 55 years,
- Lower English and work experience requirements, and
- A 10% reduction on the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) for eligible occupations.
