On Sunday, June 30, 2024, the Western Australian government officially announced on its website that the state will receive 10,000 migration places from the federal government for the new financial year. After experiencing allocation cuts in the previous financial year, WA has once again successfully secured such a high number of migration places, demonstrating its firm commitment to attracting migrants and skilled talent.
Of this allocation, 5,000 places will be dedicated to 190/491 state-nominated skilled migration, while the remaining 5,000 will be allocated to the DAMA (Designated Area Migration Agreement) program. Although the detailed allocation plan has yet to be released, compared to just 2,350 places in the 2023-24 financial year, this increase represents nearly a doubling — undoubtedly tremendous news for overseas applicants and state graduates alike.
What is the DAMA Program?
DAMA stands for Designated Area Migration Agreement. The WA government has named it WA DAMA, which means it is not limited to regional areas alone — it covers the entirety of Western Australia, including the capital city Perth. This innovative approach allows employers in both metropolitan and regional areas to equally share 5,000 places, providing employers across the state with a broad platform to recruit overseas skilled talent through the DAMA program.
What Talent Does WA Need?
The state government has clearly identified healthcare/aged care, construction, tourism, and agriculture as priority sectors for the new financial year, and has strongly expressed its intention to attract talent in these fields from overseas. Even during the allocation-constrained 2023-24 financial year, WA made efforts to invite professionals in common occupations such as accounting and IT. With the significant increase in places for the new financial year, other occupations are also expected to see more opportunities.
Notably, construction-related occupations are expected to continue enjoying the maximum benefits, such as the continuation of the job offer-free 190 visa application policy from the 2023-24 financial year. For those interested in migrating to WA, healthcare and aged care is also a booming industry this year. If you are a nursing professional, you can refer to the 2023-24 financial year DAMA lists for major WA cities to check if your occupation is included, helping you better understand and seize WA's migration policies.
Furthermore, WA places great importance on applicants willing to reside locally. For priority occupations, moving to WA will lead to the fastest invitations; for general occupations, relocating to WA will significantly increase your chances of receiving an invitation. Therefore, for applicants with limited or uncertain prospects in other states, considering a move to WA is undoubtedly a faster and more reliable choice.
The WA state-sponsored employer nomination is expected to open soon after the allocation is confirmed. Welcome to contact Noice customer service for detailed consultations!