Queensland in Australia opens gates for regional migration

Skilled and semi-skilled foreign workers can now migrate to regional Queensland under 70 occupations. 

The Far North Queensland DAMA (Designated Area Migration Agreement) has become effective from 12th September 2019. The FNQ DAMA will run for the next 5 years. Through the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, employers can now sponsor foreign workers in areas like: 

•  Cassowary Coast 
• Mareeba 

• Tablelands 
• Douglas Shire 
• Cairns 

200 visa places will be available in the first year to several occupations like cooks, childcare workers, mechanics and farm inspectors. 

Employers can sponsor foreign workers for the Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) Visa under the FNQ DAMA. However, these employers should have an approved labour agreement with the Dept. of Home Affairs. 

Foreign workers cannot directly apply for a visa as the FNQ DAMA happens to be an employer-sponsored visa program. Employers have to be first approved by the Designated Area Representative (DAR). Only then can they submit a DAMA Labour Agreement request with the Dept. of Home Affairs. 

The DAMA provides greater access to foreign workers for employers than standard migration pathways. Individuals cannot directly apply for a visa under the DAMA. They must be: 

• Sponsored by an employer from a designated area in Australia 
• Sponsored in an occupation which is listed on the head agreement 

There are 7 DAMAs currently in effect in Australia. They are in places like: 

• Northern Territory 
• Adelaide City 
• Great South Coast in Victoria 
• Orana in New South Wales 
• Regional South Australia 

• The Goldfields in Western Australia 
• Far North Queensland 

David Coleman, Immigration Minister, says that the FNQ DAMA provides a tailormade solution to skill shortage faced by businesses. He also said that there were 60,000 jobs that cannot be filled locally. 

Warren Entsch, Federal Leichhardt MP, says that the new DAMA will help several industries like agriculture, tourism, health, shipping and hospitality. It will also help drive economic growth in the regional areas, as quoted by SBS News. 

The FNQ DAMA will also provide special concession in work experience and English requirements to certain skilled workers just like the other DAMAs. Successful applicants may apply for an Australian PR Visa after completing 3 years of stay in regional Australia. 

Y-Axis offers a wide range of visa services and products for aspiring overseas immigrants including Australia General Skilled Migration Program via RMA, Australia Skilled Regional Visa, Australia Temporary Skilled Work Visa, and Australia Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485. We work with Registered Migration Agents in Australia.  

If you are looking to Visit, Study, Work, Invest or Migrate to Australia, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Consultant.  

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