The South Australia Regional DAMA: What Regional SA Employers Can Access
South Australian employers face a familiar problem. The role is real, the local market is thin, and standard visa rules do not bend. The South Australian Regional Workforce Designated Area Migration Agreement exists for that gap.
This guide uses figures published by the state Designated Area Representative, plus Commonwealth figures from Home Affairs. For the national picture, start with our DAMA overview.
DAMA terms checked on 10 September 2026. Terms are reviewed each year, so confirm current settings with the DAR before you act.
South Australia runs two DAMAs
The DAR is Skilled and Business Migration, inside the Department of State Development. It runs both South Australian agreements.
The Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement Agreement covers the Adelaide metropolitan region only. Its list holds 57 occupations, aimed at defence, space, advanced manufacturing and technology. The South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement, however, covers the entire state.
Where the regional agreement applies
The regional agreement reaches every part of South Australia. Even so, location still matters, because the DAR splits the state into three postcode tiers.
Those tiers are Adelaide Metropolitan, Inner Regional and Outer Regional. Inner Regional includes the Adelaide Hills, the Fleurieu Peninsula, Gawler, the Barossa and Murray Bridge. In addition, selected metropolitan postcodes carry an asterisk. Those postcodes open only for selected agribusiness occupations.
What is on the occupation list
We counted 322 occupation entries under the South Australian Agreement on 10 September 2026. Non-ANZSCO roles sit under the code 070499. Examples include Vineyard Supervisor, Hospitality Worker and Senior Dairy Cattle Farm Worker.
Each entry names where the occupation is available. On our count, 240 entries run across the whole state. Another 59 run across inner and outer regional South Australia, plus the selected metropolitan postcodes. A further 11 run inner and outer regional, while 11 more are outer regional only.
The DAR also assesses skills for many roles. On our count, 134 entries name it as the assessor.
The concessions
Salary
A reduced threshold sits at 90 per cent of TSMIT or CSIT. Home Affairs confirmed both at AUD79,423 for nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. Therefore the reduced figure lands at about AUD71,481, although the DAR does not publish it.
Three types apply. Type 1 requires monetary earnings at or above the reduced threshold. Type 2 allows other non-monetary earnings up to 10 per cent of it. Type 3 allows food and board up to published state homestay rates. The package must still reach the reduced threshold. On our count, 110 entries carry a salary concession.
English
The DAR publishes three English types. Type 1 allows IELTS 5.0 overall with 4.0 in each band, for the 482 and 494. Type 2 drops that to IELTS 4.5 overall with 4.0 in each band. However, it runs only for specified semi-skilled roles in outer regional South Australia. Type 3 covers the 186, at IELTS 5.0 overall with 4.5 in each band.
On our count, 197 entries carry Type 1, 56 carry Type 2 and 201 carry Type 3. Meanwhile 121 carry no English concession. Finally, no concession applies where licensing demands stronger English.
Age, experience and permanent residence
The age concession reads the same on every entry. For the 494 and the 186, the nominee must be under 55, rather than the usual 45.
Work experience sits on each entry too, and many requirements are reduced. An aged or disabled carer, for example, needs one year for the 482 or 494. Our guide to the DAMA permanent residency pathway works through the timing.
The figures at a glance
| Item | South Australian Regional Workforce DAMA |
|---|---|
| Covered area | The entire state, in Adelaide Metropolitan, Inner Regional and Outer Regional tiers |
| Occupations | 322 entries counted on the DAR list, 10 September 2026 |
| Salary concession | Reduced TSMIT or CSIT at 90 per cent, three concession types |
| English concession | IELTS 5.0 or 4.5 overall for 482 and 494, IELTS 5.0 with 4.5 bands for 186 |
| Age concession | Under 55 for the 494 and the 186 |
| Annual ceiling | Set per business and per year, not published by the DAR |
| DAR fee | No charge for endorsement or variation |
How endorsement works
First, confirm the business qualifies. It must operate lawfully in South Australia for 12 months, and it must be financially viable.
Second, review the DAMA terms and conditions. Third, gather the checklist documents. They include an accountant’s letter, financial reports, an organisational chart and the employment contract. Fourth, lodge through the DAR portal.
Labour market testing also counts. The DAR asks for at least two advertisements from the last 12 months. Each must run 28 days on a platform with national reach. Where the base salary is under AUD96,400, the advertisement must also show the salary range.
A successful application produces an endorsement letter, valid for 12 months. The employer then lodges the labour agreement request in ImmiAccount. Endorsement does not guarantee an agreement, and no review rights apply.
What it costs
The DAR charges nothing. No fee applies to endorsement, to a variation or to the agreement itself.
Commonwealth costs still apply. On 10 September 2026, Home Affairs confirmed sponsorship at AUD420. A 482 nomination costs AUD330, and a 186 nomination costs AUD540. The Skilling Australians Fund levy adds AUD1,200 or AUD1,800 a year for the 482. For the 186 and 494, it adds AUD3,000 or AUD5,000 once. Turnover decides which figure applies. Employers cannot pass the levy to the worker.
Traps to plan around
Labour hire firms cannot use the DAMA, because the nominating business must be the direct employer. Self sponsorship is not supported either. Where a trust runs the business, the trustee applies.
Variations are limited to one each year, and none in the first six months. Moreover, an Industry Labour Agreement takes priority. That occupation runs under the DAMA only where the employer sits in a different industry.
For endorsements from 27 June 2025, the nominee must first hold the 482 under the SA DAMA for two years. Earlier endorsements need three years. Either way, employers request those places by variation.
For comparison, see our guides to the Orana DAMA in regional NSW and the Victorian DAMAs.
Frequently asked questions
Does the South Australia Regional DAMA cover Adelaide?
Yes. The Regional Workforce Agreement covers the entire state, including Adelaide. However, some occupations run only in inner and outer regional areas. Others open in selected metropolitan postcodes for agribusiness roles.
What does the South Australian DAR charge for endorsement?
Nothing. Skilled and Business Migration charges no fee for endorsement, for a variation or for the labour agreement. Commonwealth nomination charges, the Skilling Australians Fund levy and visa application charges still apply.
How low can the salary go under the SA DAMA?
A reduced threshold of 90 per cent of TSMIT or CSIT applies to eligible occupations. Home Affairs set both at AUD79,423 for nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. The market salary rate must still be met.
Can a worker apply under the SA DAMA on their own?
No. An eligible South Australian employer must be endorsed, then hold a labour agreement, then nominate the worker. Individuals cannot access these streams independently.
Sam Kanjo, Migration Lawyer, Skyline Migration Lawyers, Melbourne.
Occupation lists, concessions and postcode tiers come from the South Australian DAR, checked on 10 September 2026. Terms change on review, so confirm current settings before you lodge.
Thinking about a DAMA labour agreement in South Australia? We can review your occupation, your evidence and your timing. Call us on 03 8108 8748 or email info@skylinemigrationlawyers.com.au.
This article is general information only. It is not legal advice, and it does not create a lawyer and client relationship. Migration law changes often, so seek advice tailored to your circumstances.
