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Goldfields Designated Area Migration Agreement

Sponsor Skilled and Semi-Skilled Workers in the Goldfields

If your Goldfields business is facing a skills shortage it cannot fill locally, the Goldfields DAMA gives you access to overseas workers with concessions not available under standard visa pathways. The agreement is currently extended to 31 December 2026, with new applications transitioning to the statewide WA DAMA after that date. At Australian Migration Lawyers, we guide Goldfields employers through the DAMA process, from endorsement through to visa grant.

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Overview

A Regional Agreement Currently in Transition

The Goldfields DAMA is a labour agreement covering the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder together with six surrounding shires: Coolgardie, Dundas, Esperance, Laverton, Leonora, Menzies, and Ravensthorpe. It gives employers in this area access to overseas workers in occupations experiencing genuine skill and labour shortages, spanning mining and heavy industry as well as roles like childcare, hospitality supervision, and disability support.

This agreement has been extended more than once over the past year. As at the most recent confirmed update, the Commonwealth Government has extended the Goldfields DAMA to 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, new DAMA applications for the Goldfields region are expected to move to the statewide WA DAMA, administered by Migration Services rather than the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Businesses with an existing Goldfields DAMA labour agreement are not affected by this change and can continue operating under their current agreement for its full term.

Who Administers This DAMA

The Designated Area Representative (DAR) for the Goldfields DAMA is the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, which employs a dedicated migration agreement officer to process endorsement applications and Deeds of Variation. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder assesses employer endorsement on the region's behalf before the Department of Home Affairs considers a labour agreement request.

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Installments available

3 - 6 months installment options available on some visa types.

Eligibility for Employers

To be endorsed by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder for the Goldfields DAMA, a business must show:

The business operates within the designated Goldfields area covered by the agreement

A genuine skills or labour shortage exists in the nominated position that cannot be filled locally

Sufficient labour market testing has been conducted, generally including advertising the position for at least four weeks within the four months before lodging

Standard sponsorship obligations under the Migration Regulations are met

The business is not seeking to establish a fly-in-fly-out arrangement, since the DAMA is intended to support workers living and working in the region

Self-sponsorship is not permitted under any DAMA labour agreement.

Eligibility for Skilled Workers

To be sponsored under the Goldfields DAMA, a worker generally needs:

A genuine, full-time job offer from a business that holds, or is actively seeking, DAR endorsement for the Goldfields DAMA

An occupation listed on the current Goldfields DAMA occupation list, including a small number of non-ANZSCO occupations specific to the region

A skills assessment demonstrating relevant competence and qualifications for the nominated occupation

English language test results meeting the standard visa requirement, or the concession available for the specific occupation

Health and character clearances

A genuine intention to settle in the Goldfields region, since the agreement does not support fly-in-fly-out working arrangements

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Occupation List and Concessions

The Goldfields DAMA covers skilled and semi-skilled occupations across mining, construction, healthcare, hospitality, and community services, not just heavy industry roles. The current full occupation list is available directly from the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder on request, or via the WA DAMA occupation filter once the transition to the WA DAMA takes effect.

Request the current list directly from the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder at Dama@ckb.wa.gov.au or by phone on (08) 9021 9600, or contact us and we can help confirm the current list for your occupation.

Age Concession

The standard age cap for most skilled visa pathways is under 45. Eligible occupations under the Goldfields DAMA can access an increased age limit, consistent with the age concessions available under other Western Australian DAMAs. The exact age limit is set out in the current head agreement, which is not published publicly in full. Contact us or the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder directly for the specific figure that applies to your occupation.

English Language Concession

Eligible occupations may access a reduced English language requirement below the standard visa threshold. The specific band required depends on the occupation and visa subclass, and is set out in the current head agreement, which is not published publicly in full. Contact us or the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder directly for the specific requirement that applies to your occupation.

Salary Concession

Eligible occupations under the Goldfields DAMA can access a 10 per cent concession on the standard salary threshold. Based on the current Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold of $79,423 for nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, this works out to approximately $71,481.

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DAR Endorsement

The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder charges an endorsement fee of $267.50 including GST per employee nomination. Applications are made using the "Request for endorsement to access a labour agreement under the Goldfields DAMA" form, submitted with the required supporting documents and evidence of labour market testing.

Current processing time is around 10 working days from the date of lodgement for a complete application. There is no separate fee charged by the Department of Home Affairs to request a labour agreement.

How the Process Works for This DAMA

1

Step 1: DAR Endorsement

The employer submits a request for endorsement to the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, with supporting evidence of the labour shortage, labour market testing, and business operations, along with the endorsement fee.

2

Step 2: Labour Agreement and Nomination

Once endorsed, the employer applies to the Department of Home Affairs for a labour agreement, then nominates the specific position and worker.

3

Step 3: Visa Application

The worker lodges a Subclass 482, 494, or 186 visa application against the approved nomination.

4

Ongoing Variations

The occupation and position numbers approved under a Goldfields DAMA labour agreement are endorsed for one year at a time. To add occupations, increase position numbers, or seek further concessions in later years, the employer applies to the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder for a Deed of Variation.

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Residency image

Pathway to Permanent Residency

Workers sponsored under the Goldfields DAMA on a Subclass 482 or 494 visa can be nominated for a Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) visa once they meet the region's age, experience, and salary settings.

Whether the Goldfields DAMA offers a shortened pathway to permanent residency, similar to the concession available under the statewide WA DAMA, has not been confirmed publicly. Contact us or the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder to confirm the current settings for your occupation.

Talk to Our Migration Lawyers About the Goldfields DAMA

If your Goldfields business has a genuine skills shortage it cannot fill locally, our migration lawyers can confirm whether the current Goldfields DAMA, or the incoming WA DAMA, is the right pathway for you.

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Our office brings nationally recognised immigration law expertise directly to the clients. Every award listed below was earned through independent assessment, including peer review, client feedback, and workplace audits. When you work with our immigration lawyers, you are working with a firm whose quality has been verified from the outside.

2027

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Best Lawyers

Best Law Firms Australia

Australian Migration Lawyers is ranked in the 2027 Best Law Firms - Australia edition by Best Lawyers. Firm rankings are determined through client feedback, peer nominations, and overall market reputation. Inclusion confirms the firm delivers top-tier legal services in immigration law at a national level.

2027

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Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers in Australia™ Immigration Law

Perry Q. Wood is recognised in the 2027 Best Lawyers in Australia™ edition for Immigration Law. This ranking is awarded exclusively through confidential peer review by senior lawyers in the same practice area. It is the leading global legal directory benchmark.

2026

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Doyle's Guide

Leading Immigration Law

Perry Q. Wood is ranked as a Leading Immigration Lawyer in Victoria in Doyle's Guide 2026. Four consecutive years of inclusion in Doyle's Guide establishes a verified, long-term record of excellence and peer recognition in Australian immigration law.

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Australian Legal Executive

We have experience working with LGBTIQ+ visas across Australia

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a labour agreement between the Federal Government, the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, and several Goldfields-region shires that allows endorsed employers to sponsor overseas workers in occupations experiencing genuine skill and labour shortages.

Yes, currently. The agreement has been extended to 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, new applications for the region are expected to move to the statewide WA DAMA. Existing Goldfields DAMA labour agreements remain valid for their full term.

The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder administers endorsement for the Goldfields DAMA.

Yes. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder currently charges $267.50 including GST per employee nomination.

No. The Goldfields DAMA requires sponsored workers to live and work in the region and is not structured to support fly-in-fly-out arrangements.

This page provides general legal information, not legal advice, and doesn't take into account your individual circumstances. If your situation is time-sensitive, we'd encourage you to book a consultation with our team as soon as possible to get advice specific to you.

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We are an incorporated legal practice which is a corporation for the purposes of the Corporations Act 2001. The use of the title ‘Partner’ by a lawyer in this practice is used to denote seniority and does not and is not intended to signify that the practice is contracting otherwise than as a corporation. For the avoidance of doubt, any such title does not and is not intended to signify that a partnership within the definition of the Partnership Act exists at law.