The government of Western Australian Premier Roger Cook recently urgently called on the federal government to increase the number of skilled immigrants to fill the current vocational skills shortage. It is reported that they hope to provide an additional 10,000 immigration quotas for Western Australia in the 24-25 fiscal year. The Western Australian government recently announced this year’s immigration quota. In addition to the 5,000 state sponsorship quotas approved by the federal government, it also successfully secured 5,000 new WA DAMA quotas.This project is of great significance to employers and job seekers in the Perth area. Today, we will explore each aspect of this project in detail.

WA DAMA is an employer-sponsored visa that helps businesses in regional Western Australia to sponsor employees more easily through a special agreement with the federal government. What is special about this WA DAMA is that it includes the metropolitan area of ​​Perth, which means that businesses in Perth can also sponsor employees through WA DAMA if the list allows.
Currently, Western Australia has four regional DAMA programs in place, and the Western Australian Designated Area Migration Agreement (WA DAMA) will become the fifth DAMA program, supporting workforce needs across the state.

In Fact:
1. You can also take the WA DAMA route in Perth!
2. If your original region has a DAMA program, you should still go through the original region’s DAMA. If your occupation is not on the regional DAMA list, you can also go through the WA DAMA. For example: if your employer is in Kimberley and your occupation is also on the Kimberley DAMA list, you should still go through the Kimberley DAMA. If your employer is in Kimberley and your occupation is not on the Kimberley DAMA list, you can check whether your occupation is on the WA DAMA list and go through the WA DAMA.

WA DAMA is a low-threshold employer-sponsored visa that is applicable to employers throughout Western Australia. Applicants need to meet the relevant requirements and obtain sponsorship support from their employers. Companies need to apply to the local government to join the WA DAMA program and submit detailed information about the sponsored position. Once approved by the state government, they can sponsor employees under lower conditions.
First of all : the employee needs to meet the corresponding requirements in WA DAMA and reach an agreement with the company that the company is willing to sponsor you.
Then : Companies in WA DAMA certified areas apply to the local government to join the WA DAMA program, put forward their requests for guaranteed positions, etc. After obtaining support and approval from the state government, they can guarantee employees under lower conditions.

Compared with traditional employer sponsorship programs, WA DAMA applications have many advantages:
1. A wider range of occupations . The WA DAMA occupation list covers 310 occupations. Some occupations that cannot apply for 482 or 186 can apply for DAMA.
2. Lower language requirements . For occupations with skill levels 3-4, if you take DAMA 482, the language score is 5 and there is no requirement for individual subject scores; if you transfer from 482 to 186, the language score is 5 and the individual subject score is not less than 4. If it is a regular 482, the language score must be at least 5 and the individual subject score must be not less than 4.5; if you transfer from 482 to 186, the individual subject score must be not less than 6.
3. Fewer years of work experience required . 2 years of work experience is enough for 494, and 494 to 191 only needs 2 years. Regular 494 requires 3 years of work experience, and 494 to 191 also requires 3 years.
4. Higher age limit : DAMA requires no more than 55 years old, while ordinary 186 and 494 cannot exceed 45 years old. In general, WA DAMA is more relaxed than state sponsorship and regular employer sponsorship requirements.It is more suitable for applicants who cannot apply for state sponsorship/whose occupation is not on the medium- to long-term list, or who cannot get a high score in the language test, or who are older .

The WA DAMA program provides an important opportunity for businesses in the Western Australian region and international applicants, particularly in the context of the current overall skills shortage in Australia. WA DAMA provides a more flexible and adaptable immigration pathway for employers who wish to work or sponsor employees in Western Australia, and applicants seeking employment in Western Australia. I hope this article will help you fully understand the importance and operational details of the WA DAMA program. If you have more questions or need detailed consultation, please feel free to contact us. We will wholeheartedly provide you with support and help to discuss the immigration plan that best suits you.