WA DAMA

The WA DAMA: Western Australia's Own Migration Advantage.

Here's an edge that belongs to WA employers alone. The state's Designated Area Migration Agreement can let you sponsor occupations the standard program won't touch - often with concessions on salary, skills or English. If you've been told a role can't be sponsored, the DAMA is the first place to look.

A genuine WA-only edgeOff-list occupationsConcessions are possible

Book a Sponsorship Assessment Speak to Us About Sponsoring

What the WA DAMA Is

A door that's only open to employers operating in Western Australia.

A Designated Area Migration Agreement is a regional labour agreement, and WA has its own. It's designed to help WA businesses fill genuine skill shortages that the standard visa program leaves out. Through the DAMA, you may be able to sponsor occupations not on the usual lists, and access concessions that reflect the real conditions of working and hiring in the state.

If a role seems impossible to sponsor, check the DAMA first. Plenty of WA employers give up on overseas hiring because an occupation isn't on the standard list - not realising the DAMA might cover it. Before you write a role off, it's worth a proper look. It could be the thing that changes your answer from no to yes.

What the DAMA Can Offer

The exact occupations and concessions are set by the agreement and reviewed over time.

Access to occupations beyond the standard skilled lists - the key advantage of the DAMA
Concessions on salary thresholds where appropriate for WA conditions
Concessions on skills, experience or English requirements
In some cases, a pathway toward permanent residence for the employee

The DAMA works alongside the sponsored visa system rather than replacing it - you still go through sponsorship and nomination, but under the concessions the agreement allows. It pairs naturally with regional sponsorship, and since Perth and all of WA count as regional, it sits neatly with the 494 visa as part of a WA-focused hiring strategy.

DAMA vs Standard Sponsorship

When the agreement does something the standard program can't.

The DAMA isn't a different visa - it's a set of WA-specific concessions layered onto the same sponsored framework. The quickest way to see where it helps is side by side. Treat this as general guidance: the exact occupations and concessions are set by the agreement and reviewed over time, so we confirm the current settings against your role before anything is lodged.

Consideration	Standard sponsorship	Under the WA DAMA
Eligible occupations	Limited to the standard skilled occupation lists	Can reach occupations beyond the standard lists, where the agreement covers them [WA, reviewed over time]
Salary thresholds	Set income floor applies with no flexibility	May allow a concession where appropriate for WA conditions [WA]
Skills, experience and English	Standard requirements as set federally	Concessions may apply where the agreement allows [WA]
Permanent residence	Depends on the visa and occupation	Some occupations may carry a PR pathway; never automatic and assessed case by case
Process	Sponsorship and nomination under standard rules	The same sponsorship and nomination, run under the agreement's concessions
Who it suits	Roles already on the standard lists	WA employers with a genuine need the standard program leaves out

What about cost and timing? We don't publish a fixed sponsorship fee, because what's involved depends on your business, the occupation and the concessions in play. Once eligibility is confirmed, a DAMA nomination broadly tracks the standard sponsorship timeline rather than adding a separate queue, though timing always depends on your case. We quote in writing after the assessment - see fees and how we quote.

Common Questions

WA DAMA questions answered.

Who can use the WA DAMA?

It's for businesses operating in the designated areas the agreement covers, with a genuine need for workers in eligible occupations. The specifics around which areas, occupations and businesses qualify are set by the agreement and reviewed over time. Send us your details and we'll check whether your business and your role fit the current settings.

My occupation isn't on the standard list. Does that matter?

That's often exactly when the DAMA earns its keep. It can cover occupations that the standard skilled lists leave out, which is why it's the first thing to check when a role seems impossible to sponsor. Don't assume the standard lists are the end of the story - for WA employers, they frequently aren't.

Can the DAMA lead to permanent residence?

In some cases there can be a pathway towards permanent residence, depending on the occupation and the terms in place. It isn't automatic, and the detail matters, so we'll look at whether a PR pathway is realistic for your specific situation. Where it exists, it's a strong reason to consider the DAMA seriously.

How is this different from a normal sponsorship?

You still sponsor and nominate as usual, but under the DAMA's concessions instead of the standard rules. That can mean access to occupations and flexibility you wouldn't otherwise have. Think of it as the same process with a wider set of options, tailored to WA's needs. We'll handle the agreement side so it slots into your sponsorship cleanly.

What occupations can I sponsor under the WA DAMA?

The eligible occupations are set by the agreement and reviewed over time, so the right answer is always the current list rather than a fixed one we could print here. The DAMA's value is that it can reach roles the standard lists leave out, but only where the agreement covers them. Send us the role and we'll check it against the settings that apply right now and tell you plainly whether it fits.

How long does DAMA sponsorship take compared to a standard sponsored visa?

The DAMA uses the same nomination process as standard sponsorship, just with the agreement's concessions applied, so once eligibility is confirmed the timeline generally tracks a standard sponsored nomination rather than adding a separate queue. Processing times move around and depend on your case, so we won't promise a date. After the assessment we'll give you a realistic sense of timing for your specific role.

Do I still need to advertise the role under the DAMA?

Recruitment and labour market testing obligations can differ under a DAMA compared with the standard program, and the agreement's terms may adjust or vary them. We won't generalise, because it depends on the occupation and the current settings. As part of the assessment we'll confirm exactly what testing or advertising applies to your nomination so you don't get caught out late.

Does the DAMA cover Perth, or only regional WA?

For skilled migration purposes, Perth and all of Western Australia currently count as regional, which is partly why the DAMA pairs so naturally with regional sponsorship across the state. The areas a given agreement designates can be specific, though, so we confirm that your business location sits within the coverage that applies. It also dovetails with WA state nomination if you're weighing employer and state pathways together.

Is there a fee for the DAMA itself?

We don't publish a fixed figure, because what's involved depends on your business, the occupation and the concessions in play, and government charges sit separately from our professional fee. What we will do is set it all out clearly: after the assessment we quote in writing so there are no surprises. You can read how that works on our fees and how we quote page.

Related Help

Where to from here.

Standard sponsorshipStandard Business SponsorshipThe foundation - approved sponsor status before anything.Main work visaSkills in Demand 482The standard temporary employer-sponsored visa.Labour agreementsLabour AgreementsOther agreement options for off-list occupations.

Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)

Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.

Told a role can't be filled?

Let's check whether the DAMA opens it back up. This is a WA advantage worth using.