The Australia government is introducing a new visa for semi-skilled migrants with only Basic English skills. It gets even better: This visa offers a pathway to permanent residency, which means you will become a permanent resident of Australia!
Sounds too good to be true?
Well, the only catch is that new migrants would have to live in a regional area.
Under this new agreement, the so called Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) the requirements for skills, language and income will be lowered allowing lower skilled migrant workers to move to Australia permanently.
Migrants will have to commit living in the Northern Territory for only 3 years for them to become eligible for permanent residency.
Employers hiring those migrant workers will have to prove, just as is the case for the current 482 visa that they have tried to find a local worker before they sponsor a foreign worker.
Migrants from 117 different occupational fields (farm and hospitality skills) will be eligible for this visa in the NT. A separate agreement will be allowing migrants workers in the field of meat-processing, diary and other agricultural sectors to move to Victoria’s Warrnambool region.
The government is currently also discussing including a wider range of regions inlcuding Pilbara and the Kalgoorlie-Boulder regions in WA, Carins in far North Queensland and the Orana region in central NSW.
Occupations included in the NT DAMA agreement:
| Occupation | English concession may be available | TSMIT concession may be available |
| Accommodation and hospitality managers | ||
| Accountant – general | ||
| Aged or disabled carer* | ✓ | |
| Agricultural and horticultural mobile plant operator | ✓ | ✓ |
| Aircraft maintenance engineer – avionics | ||
| Aircraft maintenance engineer – mechanical | ||
| Aquaculture farmer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arborist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automotive electrician | ✓ | ✓ |
| Baker | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bar attendant – supervisor | ✓ | ✓ |
| Barista | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beauty therapist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boiler or engine operator | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bus driver | ✓ | ✓ |
| Butcher or smallgoods maker | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabinetmaker | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabler – data and telecommunications | ✓ | ✓ |
| Café or restaurant manager | ||
| Carpenter | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chef | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chief executive or managing director | ||
| Childcare worker* | ✓ | |
| Community worker* | ✓ | |
| Conference and event organiser | ||
| Conservation officer | ||
| Cook | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cook – specialist ethnic cuisine** | ✓ | ✓ |
| Corporate general manager | ||
| Corporate services manager | ||
| Counsellors nec | ||
| Customer service manager | ||
| Crowd controller | ✓ | ✓ |
| Deckhand | ✓ | ✓ |
| Delivery driver | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dental assistant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dental technician | ||
| Diesel motor mechanic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Disabilities services officer* | ✓ | |
| Diver | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drug and alcohol counsellor | ||
| Earthmoving plant operator – general | ✓ | ✓ |
| Earth science technician | ||
| Electronic instrument trades worker – general | ✓ | ✓ |
| Enrolled nurse | ||
| Facilities manager | ||
| Family day care worker* | ✓ | |
| Family support worker* | ✓ | |
| Finance manager | ||
| Fitter – general | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitter and turner | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitter-welder | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fruit or nut grower | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gaming worker | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glazier | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hair or beauty salon manager | ✓ | |
| Hairdresser | ✓ | ✓ |
| Health and welfare services manager nec | ||
| Health practice manager | ||
| Hospitality retail and services managers nec | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hotel or motel manager | ||
| Hotel service manager | ✓ | ✓ |
| ICT business development manager | ||
| ICT project manager | ||
| Interpreter | ||
| Judicial and other legal professionals nec | ||
| Landscape gardener | ✓ | ✓ |
| Licensed club manager | ||
| Master fisher | ✓ | ✓ |
| Metal fabricator | ✓ | ✓ |
| Metal machinist – first class | ✓ | ✓ |
| Motor mechanic – general | ✓ | ✓ |
| Motor vehicle parts interpreter | ✓ | ✓ |
| Motorcycle mechanic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nurse manager | ||
| Nursery person | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nursing support worker or nursing assistant* | ✓ | |
| Office manager | ✓ | ✓ |
| Other sports coach or instructor | ✓ | ✓ |
| Parole or probation officer | ||
| Personal care assistant* | ✓ | |
| Pressure welder | ✓ | ✓ |
| Production manager – mining | ||
| Residential care worker* | ✓ | |
| Resident medical officer | ||
| Retail manager – general | ✓ | ✓ |
| Retail pharmacist | ||
| Retail supervisor | ✓ | ✓ |
| Roof plumber | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sales and marketing manager | ||
| Security consultant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sheetmetal trades worker | ✓ | ✓ |
| Small engine mechanic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sound technician | ✓ | ✓ |
| Storeperson | ✓ | ✓ |
| Supply and distribution manager | ||
| Taxation accountant | ||
| Telecommunications cable jointer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Telecommunications linesworker | ✓ | ✓ |
| Telecommunications technician | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tour guide | ✓ | ✓ |
| Training and development professional | ||
| Truck driver – general^ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tyre fitter | ✓ | ✓ |
| Upholsterer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vegetable grower | ✓ | ✓ |
| Veterinary nurse | ||
| Waiter – supervisor | ✓ | ✓ |
| Welder – first class | ✓ | ✓ |
| Welfare worker | ||
| Youth worker* | ✓ |
Contact Us if you wish to find out more about your eligibility for this visa. We offer free initial consultations.
Useful links:
The Northern Territory Designated Area Migration Agreement
Regional sponsored migration visa – 187