The Labour Agreement visa under the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) allows individuals to access a labour agreement between the Australian government and the state of South Australia. If you are in South Australia (SA), you may be able to explore a permanent residency (PR) visa pathway through DAMA. Sponsoring employers and visa applicants can access the labour agreement with the following visa subclasses:

What Are the Labour Agreements for Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement (ACTIA) DAMA?

The South Australian Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a formal agreement between the Australian Government. It enables South Australian employers to sponsor skilled overseas workers for positions they are unable to fill with local workers.

Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement (ACTIA) DAMA include the Adelaide Metropolitan area, which includes the main postcodes and is not limited to:
- Adelaide (CBD & North Adelaide): 5000–5006
- Eastern Suburbs:
  - Norwood: 5067
  - Burnside: 5066
  - Magill: 5072
  - Campbelltown: 5074
- Western Suburbs:
  - Henley Beach: 5022
  - Findon: 5023
  - West Beach: 5024
  - Glenelg: 5045
- Northern Suburbs:
  - Mawson Lakes: 5095
  - Modbury: 5092
- Southern Suburbs:
  - Marion: 5043
  - Brighton: 5048
Businesses that wish to employ and sponsor skilled workers through labour agreements with ACTIA DAMA must meet the following requirements:
- The business must be actively and lawfully operating for at least 12 months.
- Employers must disclose any associated adverse information and fulfil their sponsorship obligations.
- Employers must first apply for a Designated Area Representative (DAR) endorsement through the Skilled & Business Migration portal. There is no fee to apply for an endorsement.
- Ensure that the Labour Market Testing (LMT) has been conducted for a minimum of 28 days.
- Once employers receive their endorsement, they can then request a DAMA Labour Agreement from the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA), followed by the nomination application.
- Employers must also show a genuine need for the nominated position.
- Employers must provide the nominated applicant with an amount of annual earnings that is equal to or greater than the Annual Market Salary Rate and TSMIT.

How to Nominate a DAMA Visa Applicant?

Applicants must live and work in South Australia (SA) metropolitan areas (mentioned above) as soon as they are sponsored under the labour agreement pathway.
The ACTIA DAMA have a total of 43 occupations that reflect skilled and semi-skilled roles required in the state.
- Chief Executives, General Managers & Legislators
- Specialist Managers
- Arts & Media Professionals
- Business, Human Resources & Marketing Professionals
- Design, Engineering, Science & Transport Professionals
- ICT Professionals
- Engineering, ICT & Science Technicians
- Non-ANZSCO occupations which are unique to SA, with the given ANZSCO code 070499, these are:
  - Advancement Manager
  - Advancement Professional
  - Clinical Researcher
  - Data and Analytics Manager
  - Digital Artist
  - Digital Producer
  - Digital Production Manager
  - Digital Supervisor
  - Senior Digital Artist
There are some concessions available for the ACTIA DAMA that may be applied for.
- Age concession of up to 55 years old, depending on the nominated occupation.
- English concessions are available for certain occupations, unless registration or licensing requires a higher level of English, then the higher level of English applies:
  - SID (SC482) and SESR (SC494): overall score of IELTS 5.0 equivalent, with a minimum of 4.0 for individual band score (or equivalent).
  - ENS (SC186): overall score of IELTS 5.0 with a minimum of 4.5 for individual band score (or equivalent).
- A 10% concession of the standard threshold amount is available for some nominated occupations under the CSIT/TSMIT scheme.
- The Permanent Residence (PR) pathway may be available through the ENS (SC 186) visa or the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (Subclass 191) visa.
Once the nomination application is submitted, you may be eligible to apply for a visa for the applicant.

Read the Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement DAMA Occupation List

How Can Agape Henry Crux Help

The Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement DAMA allow South Australian employers to sponsor overseas workers with some exceptions, specifically for South Australian workers. If you require professional assistance with the DAMA program, schedule a time with Agape Henry Crux and speak with one of our immigration lawyers. The team works together with our Accredited Specialists in Immigration Law, who specialise in handling highly complex matters. You can schedule an appointment with one of our lawyers or agents to seek professional advice by calling 02-8310 5230 or emailing us at info@ahclawyers.com.

We speak fluent English, Mandarin and Cantonese. We can also help you arrange an interpreter if this isn't your language.

This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.

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