DAMA · South Australia · Established 2019 (consolidated 2021)
South Australia Skilled Designated Area Migration Agreement
South Australia consolidated its three regional DAMAs into a single state-wide DAMA from 2021. It covers around 200 occupations across defence, advanced manufacturing, tech, health and hospitality. SA is the only state with a fully state-wide DAMA.
★Key takeaways
- ✓South Australia Skilled DAMA was established 2019 (consolidated 2021) and is administered by Department of State Development (Skilled & Business Migration).
- ✓Occupation list includes 10+ roles with TSMIT and English concessions not available on standard 482 Core stream.
- ✓Employer geographic trigger: Employer must be located in South Australia (state-wide coverage in the consolidated SA DAMA)
- ✓PR pathway: 186 Direct Entry stream under the Labour Agreement pathway after 3 years on the 482.
- ✓Cite all DAMA pathway numbers against Department of State Development (Skilled & Business Migration)’s current published occupation list – concessions and occupations are reviewed periodically.
At a glance
Agreement holder
Department of State Development (Skilled & Business Migration)
Geographic trigger
Employer must be located in South Australia (state-wide coverage in the consolidated SA DAMA)
PR pathway
186 Direct Entry stream under the Labour Agreement pathway after 3 years on the 482
Occupations covered
10+ across mining, trades, hospitality, care and professional services
Top concession occupations
10 representative occupations
A sample of the 10+ occupations on the South Australia Skilled DAMA. The full current list is published by the agreement holder and is reviewed periodically.
Source: Department of State Development (Skilled & Business Migration) DAMA occupation list →
Concessions summary
What the DAMA actually changes
| Concession | South Australia Skilled DAMA |
|---|---|
| TSMIT | Up to 10% concession on TSMIT for selected occupations |
| English | IELTS 5.0 each band for most occupations |
| Age (PR pathway) | PR pathway: age cap raised to 55 for selected occupations |
| Work experience and skills | Reduced work experience to 2 years; some occupations exempt from skills assessment |
Concessions are set out in the agreement between the Commonwealth and the agreement holder and can change at agreement renewal. Always confirm against the current published agreement.
In depth
How the South Australia Skilled DAMA actually works
South Australia’s state-wide DAMA is the broadest in the country, covering 200+ occupations and applying state-wide rather than to specific LGAs. The agreement consolidates what were previously three regional DAMAs (Adelaide Tech, SA Regional, SA Hospitality and Tourism) into a single framework administered by the state migration office.
The Adelaide City Tech stream within the DAMA is one of its most active components, targeting software, cyber, AI and data occupations in support of the Lot Fourteen innovation precinct, defence industry expansion and the broader Adelaide tech ecosystem. Defence systems engineering, aerospace engineering and naval-shipbuilding-related occupations are also prominent.
The state-wide framework simplifies what was previously a fragmented system. Employer endorsement runs through the SA Department of State Development before proceeding to Home Affairs SBS and nomination.
Employer obligations
- Employer must be located within the agreement region (see geographic trigger above).
- Obtain agreement holder endorsement before lodging a Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) application with Home Affairs.
- Demonstrate local labour market testing (LMT) was carried out and a local hire was not available.
- Pay the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy on nomination: $1,200/year (small business under $10m turnover) or $1,800/year (larger employers).
- Pay at or above the agreement’s salary floor (cannot use DAMA concession to push salary below the agreement minimum).
- Do not recover any sponsorship or migration agent costs from the worker (this is a strict sponsor obligation).
Agreement holder contact
Department of State Development (Skilled & Business Migration)
Common questions
South Australia Skilled DAMA – common questions
Does the SA DAMA cover all of South Australia?
Yes. The consolidated SA DAMA from 2021 is state-wide – there is no LGA-specific restriction. Employers in Adelaide CBD, Adelaide suburbs, regional SA and remote SA can all use the agreement.
Is there a SA tech-specific stream?
Yes. The Adelaide City Tech stream within the SA DAMA targets software engineering, cyber security, data science and AI occupations. It is one of the most-used parts of the agreement.
Can a defence-industry contractor use the SA DAMA?
Yes. Defence systems engineering, aerospace and naval-shipbuilding occupations are on the agreement. Many ASC, BAE and Lockheed Martin Australia contractors have used the SA DAMA for specialist roles.
Does SA DAMA give state nomination for 190 or 491?
No – DAMA is a separate 482 / 186 Labour Agreement pathway. SA also runs separate 190 and 491 state nomination programs which are independent of the DAMA. Speak to a migration agent if you need to decide between DAMA and 190 / 491 – they target different applicant profiles.
Other DAMA regions