South Australia is the place to watch for new and innovative approaches to attract top skills from around the world to support Australian businesses. Over the past 12 months, the state has developed a number of programs which are designed to address skills shortages and enable employers to sponsor workers in positions in defence, space, advanced manufacturing, technology and agriculture industries.
1. Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA)
The Adelaide City Technolgy and Innovation Advancement DAMA is a special labour agreement providing visa concessions to employers to overcome skills shortages across the Adelaide Metropolitan region (Greater Adelaide) focusing on Adelaide’s high-tech growth industries.
This DAMA is for South Australian local employers to sponsor overseas workers in the defence, space, and advanced manufacturing and technology industries with the ability to access and retain a highly-skilled workforce.
The DAMA provides a number of beneficial concessions to Greater Adelaide employers:
- Occupations not currently on the skilled occupation lists are eligible for sponsorship
- Permanent residence pathway, provides greater certainty of employees’ long term sponsor-ability
- Age concession, creates pathways for skilled workers up to the age of 50 or 55 years old depending on the occupation
Occupations that are eligible for sponsorship under the DAMA for the Adelaide Metropolitan workforce include:
70499 | Senior Digital Artist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
70499 | Digital Artist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
11 | Chief Executives, General Managers & Legislators | |
111111 | Chief Executive or Managing Director | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
111211 | Corporate General Manager | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
13 | Specialist Managers | |
132511 | Research and Development Manager | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
133111 | Construction Project Manager | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
133211 | Engineering Manager | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
133311 | Importer or Exporter | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
133411 | Manufacturer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
133512 | Production Manager (Manufacturing) | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
133611 | Supply and Distribution Manager | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
133612 | Procurement Manager | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
135111 | Chief Information Officer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
135112 | ICT Project Manager | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
139913 | Laboratory Manager | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
139914 | Quality Assurance Manager | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
139999 | Specialist Managers nec | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
21 | Arts & Media Professionals | |
212314 | Film and Video Editor | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
22 | Business, Human Resource & Marketing Professionals | |
223311 | Training and Development Professional | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
224112 | Mathematician | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
23 | Design, Engineering, Science & Transport Professionals | |
232214 | Other Spatial Scientist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
232411 | Graphic Designer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
232412 | Illustrator | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
232413 | Multimedia Designer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
232414 | Web Designer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
233311 | Electrical Engineer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
233411 | Electronics Engineer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
233511 | Industrial Engineer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
233512 | Mechanical Engineer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
233513 | Production or Plant Engineer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
233914 | Engineering Technologist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
233916 | Naval Architect | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234211 | Chemist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234313 | Environmental Research Scientist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234399 | Environmental Scientists nec | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234412 | Geophysicist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234413 | Hydrogeologist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234511 | Life Scientist (General) | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234513 | Biochemist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234514 | Biotechnologist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234515 | Botanist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234516 | Marine Biologist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234517 | Microbiologist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234518 | Zoologist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
234599 | Life Scientists nec | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234913 | Meteorologist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234914 | Physicist (Medical Physicist Only) | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
234999 | Natural and Physical Science Professionals nec | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 55 years of age) |
26 | ICT Professionals | |
261211 | Multimedia Specialist | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
261212 | Web Developer | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
32 | Automotive & Engineering Trades Workers | |
322211 | Sheetmetal Trades Worker | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
322311 | Metal Fabricator | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
322312 | Pressure Welder | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
322313 | Welder (First Class) | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
323211 | Fitter (General) | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
323212 | Fitter and Turner | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
323213 | Fitter-Welder | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
323214 | Metal Machinist (First Class) | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
323299 | Metal Fitters and Machinists nec | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
39 | Other Technicians & Trades Workers | |
399916 | Plastics Technician | Permanent Pathway (ENS); Age Concession; (under 50 years of age) |
Agribusiness occupations will apply to the businesses located in the 5110 – 5734 postcodes.
2. South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement
The South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement is a DAMA focusing on the South Australia’s regional high growth industries including agribusiness, forestry, health and social services, tourism and hospitality, construction and mining.
The South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement covers the entire state of South Australia.
The DAMA will enable South Australian employers to sponsor skilled overseas workers for positions they are unable to fill with local workers. Employers experiencing skills and labour shortages can apply for endorsement to enter into a DAMA labour agreement. This enables them to sponsor skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers with more flexible requirements than are available via the standard skilled visa programs.
This DAMA is for South Australian local employers to sponsor regional growth industries of agribusiness, health and aged care, hospitality and tourism, mining and construction sectors with the ability to access and retain a skilled workforce.
Concessions available to employers in regional South Australia include:
- English language concessions
- Salary concessions (for roles with a market salary rate below the Temporary Skilled Migrant Income Threshold, currently $53,900)
- Permanent residence pathway after 3 years working on the sponsored position
- Age concession, increasing the maximum age to 50 years of age
- Skill level concessions, to include Skill Level 4 and 5 occupations
There are 114 occupations on the list below shows occupations that are eligible for sponsorship under the DAMA. Broadly, they include:
- Horticulturalists
- Farmers Growers and Farm Managers
- Forestry Manager
- Hospitality, Retail & Service Managers
- Agricultural Consultants & Scientists
- Forester
- Food Technologist
- Forester
- Exercise Physiologist
- Education Professionals & Teachers
- Health Professionals – Dietician, Physio, Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Osteopath, Chiropractor
- Dentist & Dental Assistant
- Social Welfare Professionals – Counsellors, Psychologists, Social Worker, Community Arts Worker
- Mechanics & Automotive Trades Workers
- Engineering Trades Workers
- Food Workers – Cooks, Chefs
- Skilled Animal & Horticultural Workers
- Nurses, Carers, Aides, Health & Welfare Support Workers
- Hospitality Workers – Bar Attendants, Gaming Workers, Waiter, Hotel Service Manager, Hotel Receptionist
- Machinery & Stationary / Mobile Plant Operators – horticulter, logging, earthmoving, excavation, etc
- Construction & Mining Labourers
- Factory Process Workers
- Farm, Forestry & Garden Workers
A full list of the occupations eligible for South Australia’s Regional workforce is available here.
How can your business access a DAMA immigration program?
- Meet the Terms and Conditions of Endorsement as determined by Immigration South Australia.
- Negotiate and enter into a DAMA Labour Agreement between the business and the Department of Home Affairs.
- Lodge applications with meet the nomination criteria and ensure that to the best of their knowledge the nominee satisfies their visa criteria.
- Sponsor eligible workers to fill vacancies on 4-year visas through the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) program, and where eligible lodge for permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) program, subject to meeting ENS requirements.
- Meet the business’ ongoing sponsorship obligations.
- Work with the Immigration South Australia and the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs to review the DAMA Labour Agreement annually
Approved sponsors are subject to the business sponsorship obligations and a sanctions framework under existing Migration law.
More information about employer eligibility is available here.
South Australian Entrepreneur Visa for international entrepreneurs
The Supporting Innovation in South Australia (SISA) Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa is aimed towards promising and successful overseas entrepreneurs. According to Immigration SA , South Australia will be looking for migrants who are innovative, have an entrepreneurial idea or concept, or are working on an innovative early-stage business ideally with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
The visa will likely be more successful for many entrepreneurs than the current Entrepreneur Visa, which requires capital backing of at least $200,000. Instead of requiring this funding, applicants will submit proposals to Immigration South Australia, who will partner with incubators and accelerators to identify potential applicants for nomination.
The SISA program is prioritising proposals from entrepreneurs in the following industries:
- Defense and Space
- Cybersecurity, big data, digital and blockchain
- Food, wine, and ag. Tech
- Health and medical technology
- Robotics
- Media and film
For more information about the SISA program, please read here.
Need help?
We’d love to assist you to grow your business or bring your entrepreneurial venture to Australia. Please contact us on info@themigrationagency.com.au to discuss these opportunities further.