DAMA Options for Victorian Employers: Goulburn Valley and Great South Coast
Regional Victorian employers often hit the same wall. The role is real and the shortage is real. However, the occupation never appears on the standard skilled lists. A Designated Area Migration Agreement, or DAMA, can open a wider door.
Victoria has two of them. Below, we explain how the Goulburn Valley and Great South Coast DAMAs work. We also cover what they can change, and what the process asks of an employer in 2026.
Victoria has two designated areas
The Department of Home Affairs lists 13 DAMAs across Australia. Two of them sit in regional Victoria.
Goulburn Valley DAMA
The Goulburn Valley DAMA covers the food bowl country around Shepparton. Horticulture, food processing, transport and aged care drive demand there. Greater Shepparton City Council acts as the Designated Area Representative.
Great South Coast DAMA
The Great South Coast DAMA covers south west Victoria around Warrnambool. Dairy, meat processing, health and hospitality dominate that labour market. Warrnambool City Council is the Designated Area Representative.
Each Designated Area Representative, or DAR, publishes the occupations and locations its agreement covers. Those lists change at annual review. Therefore, check the current terms with the DAR before you plan a hire.
How a DAMA actually works
A DAMA is a two tier framework. First, the Australian Government signs a five year head agreement with the DAR. That head agreement sets the occupations, the concessions and the annual ceilings for the region.
Second, individual employers enter their own labour agreements under those settings. These generally run for five years too.
Individuals cannot access a DAMA directly. A worker needs an employer operating in the designated region, and an occupation named in that head agreement.
In addition, DAMA labour agreements use three visa programs. First, the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). Second, the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494). Finally, the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186). For the wider background, read our guide to what a DAMA is and how it operates.
What a Victorian DAMA can change
Concessions are the reason most employers look at a DAMA. However, each region negotiates its own. They therefore differ between Goulburn Valley and Great South Coast.
Broadly, a head agreement can vary three things. First, the occupation list, because a DAMA can include roles the standard program leaves out. Second, the English language requirement. Third, the salary requirement, along with age settings on the permanent stage.
The visa rules themselves show where the flexibility sits. For example, the subclass 482 Labour agreement stream requires 12 months of relevant full time experience. That experience must fall within the last five years, unless the agreement specifies otherwise. Similarly, the subclass 186 Labour Agreement stream applies the age, skills and English requirements of the agreement.
In short, the agreement, not the default rule, becomes the test. Our article on DAMA pathways to permanent residency covers the concession structure in more detail.
Salary still has a floor
A concession never removes the market salary rate. You must still pay the annual market salary rate. You also cannot undercut an equivalent Australian worker.
The income thresholds also apply unless your agreement varies them. For nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD79,423. The Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD146,576. The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold, which applies to subclass 494, is also AUD79,423.
For more detail, see our post on 482 visa salary requirements for 2026-27.
What a DAMA costs a Victorian employer
Requesting a labour agreement itself costs nothing. The charges arrive at the nomination and visa stages instead.
- Sponsorship application: AUD420.
- Subclass 482 nomination: AUD330.
- Subclass 186 nomination: AUD540, depending on stream and location.
- Subclass 482 visa application: from AUD4,015.
- Subclass 186 visa application: from AUD6,140.
Then there is the Skilling Australians Fund levy. A business with turnover under AUD10 million pays AUD1,200 per year or part thereof for a subclass 482 nomination. Larger businesses pay AUD1,800 per year. For subclass 186 and 494 nominations, the levy is AUD3,000 or AUD5,000 as a one off payment.
Importantly, labour agreement sponsors pay the levy too. You also cannot pass the levy or your sponsorship costs to the worker or their family.
The process, step by step
The sequence runs like this.
- Confirm your business sits in the designated region and your role appears on that DAMA occupation list.
- Seek endorsement from the DAR. Home Affairs will not accept a DAMA request without it.
- Gather your evidence, including business financials, recruitment activity and any adverse information.
- Lodge the labour agreement request in ImmiAccount.
- Sign the agreement once approved, then lodge nominations and pay the levy.
- Give the worker the nomination transaction reference number so they can apply.
Where employers get caught out
Three problems come up repeatedly. First, employers assume a DAMA overrides an industry agreement. It does not, because Home Affairs will not endorse a DAMA where an Industry Labour Agreement already covers the industry.
Second, businesses treat the recruitment evidence as a formality. In reality, you must show a genuine attempt to recruit Australians first. Thin evidence causes delays.
Third, employers plan on changing the agreement later. From 2026, though, the department supports only one variation in each year. It also accepts none in the first six months. As a result, your nomination ceilings and occupations need to be right at the outset.
Finally, remember the compliance tail. The Australian Border Force and the department monitor labour agreements through audits and site visits. Meanwhile, the same framework applies in other regions. For example, see our guide to the Far North Queensland DAMA for Cairns employers.
Frequently asked questions
Which parts of Victoria have a DAMA?
Victoria has two DAMAs. The Goulburn Valley DAMA covers the Shepparton region, and the Great South Coast DAMA covers the Warrnambool region. Each Designated Area Representative publishes the exact locations and occupations its agreement covers, and those terms are reviewed each year.
Can a worker apply for a DAMA visa without an employer?
No. Individuals cannot access a DAMA directly. A worker needs an employer operating in the designated region. The occupation must also appear in that region’s head agreement.
How long does a DAMA labour agreement last?
The head agreement between the government and the Designated Area Representative runs for five years. Individual employer labour agreements under it generally run for five years too.
Does a DAMA lead to permanent residency?
A DAMA can include the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186), which is a permanent visa. The applicant must meet the age, skills and English requirements set out in the labour agreement. Outcomes depend on individual circumstances and departmental assessment.
What does a DAMA cost an employer?
Requesting a labour agreement costs nothing. However, costs arise at the nomination and visa stages. These include AUD420 for sponsorship, AUD330 for a subclass 482 nomination and AUD540 for a subclass 186 nomination. Employers also pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy on top.
Sam Kanjo, Migration Lawyer, Skyline Migration Lawyers, Melbourne.
Talk to a Melbourne migration lawyer
A DAMA request rewards preparation. Therefore, plan your occupations and ceilings early. We help employers in the Goulburn Valley and the Great South Coast test the options.
Call Skyline Migration Lawyers on 03 8108 8748 or email info@skylinemigrationlawyers.com.au.
This article provides general information only. It is current at publication and it is not legal advice. Migration law and government fees change regularly. Please seek advice tailored to your circumstances.
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