DAMA for Goulburn Valley
The region of Goulburn Valley in Victoria has entered into a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA), to address skills shortages in its region. The GV DAMA provides increased flexibility for skilled migrants compared to the standard employer sponsored immigration programs. The key benefits of the GV DAMA include:
- Broader occupations available pursuant to the GV DAMA Occupations, encompassing:
- Semi-skilled as well as skilled occupations.
- Multiple visa options available: Subclass 482 TSS; 186 ENS; 494 SESR leading to 191 PESR.
- Offering permanent visa pathways for all 56 occupations in the GV DAMA Occupation list.
- Concessions on the Age, English language proficiency and Income Threshold.
DAMA Concessions
Age Concession
The age concession applies for 51 occupations classified as Skill Levels 1-4 to extend the age limit to 55 years. For Skill Level 5 occupations as written below, the age concession does not apply:
- Food Trades Assistants nec
- Fruit or Nut Farm Worker
- Fruit or Nut Picker
- Meat Packer
- Meat Processor
English Language Concession
For the 16 occupations, the following English concession apply:
482 TSS and 494 SESR Applicants:
- An IELTS score of 5.0 overall (or its equivalent) is required, with no minimum score in each band, unless registration or licensing requires a higher level of English.
186 ENS Applicants:
- An IELTS score of 5.0 overall (or its equivalent) is required, with no component allowed to fall below IELTS 4.0 or its equivalent, except in cases where registration or licensing requires a higher level of English proficiency.
| Agricultural Technician | Forklift Driver | Meat Packer | Product Grader |
| Arborist | Fruit or Nut Farm Worker | Meat Processor | Roof Plumber |
| Automotive Electrician | Fruit or Nut Picker | Mechanical Engineering Technician | Slaughterer |
| Concrete Pump Operator | Meat Boner and Slicer | Motor Mechanic (General) | Truck Driver (General) |
Additional concessions apply to the five (5) occupations listed below:
TSS, SESR and ENS:
- An IELTS score of 5.0 overall (or its equivalent) is required, with no component allowed to fall below IELTS 4.0 or its equivalent, except in cases where registration or licensing requires a higher level of English proficiency.
| Agricultural Scientist | Human Resource Manager | Retail Supervisor | Sales and Marketing Manager | Sales Representative (Industrial Products) |
Other accepted English language tests are:
- Occupational English Test (OET);
- Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test (TOEFL iBT);
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic test; or
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) test.
Minimum Income Concession
As of July 1, 2023, the TSMIT has increased from $53,900 to $70,000. However, for 16 out of the 56 occupations covered under GV DAMA, this amount will be reduced to $63,000.
Here are two (2) types of TSMIT concessions.
| Type 1 | Type 2 | |
| Monetary Earnings | At least Reduced TSMIT | At least Reduced TSMIT |
| Non-monetary earnings (Food and Board) | No more than 10% of TSMIT | |
| Total Annual Earnings | At least Reduced TSMIT | At least TSMIT |
The 16 occupations shown in the table are eligible for the minimum income concessions.
| Aged or Disabled Carer | Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher | Meat Processor | Retail Manager (General) |
| Chef | Food Trades Assistants nec | Mechanical Engineering Technician | Sales and Marketing Manager |
| Diesel Motor Mechanic | Meat Boner and Slicer | Program or Project Administrator | Slaughterer |
| Disabilities Services Officer | Meat Packer | Registered Nurse (Community Health) | Waiter |
Pathway to Permanent Visa
All occupations in the GV DAMA Occupation List offer access to a specific permanent visa pathway. A TSS visa holder granted under an GV DAMA may also become eligible for an ENS visa after three (3) years. Similarly, a SESR visa holder granted under an GV DAMA may become eligible for a 191 visa after three (3) years.