In this blog, we will be talking about Western Australia’s State nomination and DAMA updates.
Following successful negotiations with the Commonwealth Government Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs), Western Australia will be allocated 5,000 state-nominated migration places for the 2024-25 program year. To complement the SNMP, the State Government has negotiated the establishment of a WA DAMA with the Commonwealth Government.
The WA DAMA will provide 5,000 migration places, allocated equally between metropolitan and regional employers, enabling employers to attract and retain skilled workers. The WA DAMA responds to strong demands to fill specific jobs in key areas of demand, including building and construction, health and aged care, tourism and hospitality, and agriculture. It will operate alongside existing DAMAs in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfields, and South West, put in place by local authorities to address local worker shortages.
The WA DAMA will help attract skilled migrants to settle in the regions through a broader list of occupations and a shorter pathway to permanent residency. Migration Services is currently accepting Expressions of Interest (EOI) to access the WA DAMA. The Western Australia Designated Area Migration Agreement (WA DAMA) will be the fifth DAMA for WA and will complement the existing DAMAs and support the whole state.
If the nominated occupation you are seeking to fill is not available through your local regional DAMA, but the occupation is available under the WA DAMA, you can apply directly to Migration Services for endorsement under the WA DAMA. This provision ensures that businesses have access to a broader range of occupations to support their individual workforce needs. Western Australian businesses seeking to build their workforce through an individual Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) must first seek and gain endorsement from an authorised Designated Area Representative (DAR).
The Department of Training and Workforce Development through Migration Services (Migration Services) is the authorised DAR for the WA DAMA.
The WA DAMA enables eligible businesses in Western Australia, who are unable to recruit appropriately qualified Australians, to supplement their workforce with skilled migrants through three visa pathways:
Temporary Skills Shortage (subclass 482) visa;
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494) visa; or
Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) (subclass 186) visa.
Perth Metropolitan: Focuses on higher skill levels (Skill Levels 1 to 3) and includes semi-skilled occupations (Skill Level 4) and a small number of non-ANZSCO occupations.
Regional: Offers a broader list of eligible occupations, including higher skill levels (Skill Levels 1 to 3), semi-skilled occupations (Skill Level 4), and additional occupations specific to regional industry needs. It provides a shorter pathway to permanent residency and lesser work experience requirements compared to Perth Metropolitan.
Occupation Distribution:
50% of places are allocated to Perth metropolitan.
50% of places are allocated to regional.
Work Experience Concessions:
Have at least one year of relevant full-time or part-time pro rata equivalent work experience for the TSS visa program; or
Have at least two years of relevant full-time or part-time pro rata equivalent work experience for the SESR or ENS visa programs, where the nominated worker will be living and working in Regional Western Australia; or
Have at least three years of relevant full-time work experience or part-time pro rata equivalent work experience for the SESR or ENS visa programs, where the nominated worker will be living and working in Metropolitan Perth.
Age Concession:
Increased age limit for visa applicants from 45 to 55 years.
English Language Proficiency:
Minimum English language requirement is IELTS 5.0.
Skill Level 1-2 occupations: No concession.
Skill Level 3-4 occupations (TSS/SESR): IELTS 5.0 with no minimum band score.
Skill Level 3-4 occupations (ENS): IELTS 5.0 with no individual band score lower than 4.0.
Note: Concessions may not be approved for client-facing occupations, those with workplace health and safety concerns, or where registration and licensing require higher English proficiency.
I would also like to give some information about the new Construction Visa Subsidy Program (CVSP) that was introduced last year. I believe this subsidy will continue this year as well. 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.
Eligibility for the Employer Sponsored Stream: To be eligible for the CVSP employers must:
sponsor a skilled migrant in one of the following visa subclasses - 482, 494, or 186; and
be headquartered and undertaking building and construction work in Western Australia, in an eligible occupation.
Employers: Eligible employers can receive payments of up to $10,000 per skilled migrant at three milestone points:
Milestone 1 - $2,000
Milestone 2 - $4,000
Milestone 3 - $4,000
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 and undertaking building and construction work in WA; and
working in an eligible occupation.
Offshore Skilled Migrants: Eligible skilled migrants who apply for their visa offshore will receive payments of up to $10,000 at two milestone points:
Milestone 1 - $5,000
Milestone 2 - $5,000
Onshore Skilled Migrants: Eligible skilled migrants who are already onshore when the CVSP commences will receive payments that have been reduced to reflect the lower costs incurred by onshore applicants:
Milestone 1 - $2,500
Milestone 2 - $2,500
Disclaimer:
The information shared by Nationwide Migration and Education on social media and blogs is for general informational purposes only. (The information is accurate at the time of publication but may be subject to change.) It is not legal or immigration advice and should not be relied upon as such.
If you need immigration advice specific to your circumstances, please book a consultation with our Registered Migration Agent.
Commentaires