Australia'a Skills Assessment for Job Opportunities in Regional Areas

VETASSESS now provides skills assessments for 692 occupations across regional Australia through the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) program.

DAMAs allow regional employers to hire skilled and semi-skilled workers, both in trades and professional roles, where local talent is unavailable.

To apply for a DAMA skills assessment, applicants must have an employer offer or sponsorship. Employers, in turn, need to obtain endorsement from their Designated Area Representatives (DAR) before submitting a labour agreement request to the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs.

Once an applicant secures an employer offer or sponsorship, they can proceed with their VETASSESS skills assessment.

Dr. Mamta Chauhan, Executive Director of VETASSESS, noted that the number of DAMA occupations assessed by VETASSESS has more than tripled since the organization began conducting DAMA skills assessments in 2019.

"Regional Australia offers numerous opportunities for migrants," she said. "DAMA sponsorships help employers secure the workforce they need, and migrants arrive to a job that is ready and waiting."

VETASSESS conducts skills assessments for the following DAMAs:

• New South Wales: Orana Regional Development Area, covering 60% of the state
• Northern Territory
• Queensland: Far North Queensland, Townsville
• South Australia: Adelaide City, regional South Australia
• Victoria: Great South Coast, Goulburn Valley
• Western Australia: Kimberley, Goldfields, Pilbara, South West WA

Each DAMA assesses different occupations tailored to the specific needs of employers in that region.