Key Points
- Western Australia DAMA Agreement
- Western Australia Construction Worker Subsidy Program
- Western Australia state Nominated Migration Program
1. Western Australia DAMA Agreement
The state of Western Australia is expected to bring in 10,000 skilled migrants to the state between July 2024 and June 2025.
From 1 July 2024, a new state-wide Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) for Western Australia will come into effect. The WA DAMA, combined with WA’s existing State Nominated Migration Program, will enable up to 10,000 overseas workers to settle in WA annually and help address critical workforce shortages in the state. WA Employers will continue to be able to access the occupations and concessions of DAMAs that are in operation for relevant regions of WA. Additionally, employers will now be able to access a broader list of occupations and concessions under the new WA DAMA.
The WA DAMA Agreement is available in these three visas in both Metropolitan Perth and Regional WA:
Visa 482
Visa 494
Visa 186
These visas require you to find employers for sponsorship.
Click here to access the list of occupations; scroll down the page Western Australia DAMA Agreement
2. Western Australia Construction Worker Subsidy Program
The State Government is investing in initiatives to ensure locals are training for jobs in the future, but there is a need to retain skilled migrants in WA and interstate and overseas workers who have the skills needed by WA businesses today. The new Construction Visa Subsidy Program (CVSP) is supporting Western Australian construction businesses to fill the demand for a skilled workforce.
The program will provide grant payments of up to $10,000 to support skilled migration visa pathways for workers and help offset expenses such as migration agent fees, visa application fees, and relocation costs.
To be eligible for the CVSP independent skilled migrants must be:
- granted a visa through the WA State Nominated Migration Program (SNMP) in one of the following visa subclasses: 190 or 491.
- employed by a business headquartered in WA and undertaking building and construction work in WA; and
- working in an eligible occupation.
3. Western Australia state Nomination Nominated Migration Program
To be granted certain skilled migration visas to live and work in Western Australia, you must be nominated (invited) by an Australian state or territory through the State Nominated Migration Program.
WA Migration Services, on behalf of the WA State Government, provides WA State nomination to eligible applicants for two visa subclasses, which gives you extra points on the Department of Home Affairs points test:
- the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)(opens in a new tab) — an extra five points; or
- the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)(opens in a new tab) — an extra 15 points.
Read more State Nominated Migration Program
