Goulburn Valley DAMA | Australian Migration Lawyers

Goulburn Valley Designated Area Migration Agreement

Sponsor Skilled and Semi-Skilled Workers Across the Goulburn Valley

If your Goulburn Valley business is facing a skills shortage it cannot fill locally, the GV DAMA gives you access to a broader occupation list and concessions on standard visa requirements across Greater Shepparton, Moira, and Campaspe. At Australian Migration Lawyers, we guide Goulburn Valley employers through the DAMA process, from endorsement through to visa grant.

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Overview

A Region-Specific Agreement for Greater Shepparton, Moira, and Campaspe

The GV DAMA is a labour agreement between the Australian Government and Greater Shepparton City Council, covering the local government areas of Greater Shepparton, Moira Shire, and Campaspe Shire. It gives employers in these areas access to skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers in occupations experiencing genuine labour shortages, spanning industries including health, agriculture, transport, hospitality, and manufacturing.

Workers sponsored under this DAMA fill gaps that could not be met locally, rather than displacing Australian workers, and employers must continue to prioritise recruiting Australian citizens and permanent residents first.

Who Administers This DAMA

The Designated Area Representative (DAR) for the GV DAMA is Greater Shepparton City Council. Its role goes beyond simply approving or declining applications, the Council also tracks how the local labour market is shifting, helps employers and sponsored workers through the process once they're in it, and reports back to the Australian Government on how the agreement is performing. Endorsement from the DAR does not guarantee that the Department of Home Affairs will approve the subsequent labour agreement or visa.

Occupation List and Concessions

The GV DAMA Table of Approved Occupations sets out each eligible occupation along with its skill level and the specific skills, salary, English language, and permanent residency pathway concessions that apply to it. Not every occupation qualifies for every concession, request the current, full table directly from Greater Shepparton City Council before relying on any occupation eligibility.

Age Concession

Skill Level 1 to 4 occupations: the overseas worker must not have turned 55 at the time of a Subclass 494 (SESR) or Subclass 186 (ENS) nomination
Skill Level 5 occupations: the overseas worker must not have turned 50 at the time of a Subclass 494 or Subclass 186 nomination

English Language Concession

An English language concession is available for occupations listed as eligible on the current Table of Approved Occupations. The specific requirement is set per occupation. You can request the current table directly from Greater Shepparton City Council, or contact us and we can confirm the exact requirement that applies to your occupation.

Salary Concession

The GV DAMA offers two types of Reduced TSMIT concession, with the Designated Area Representative specifying which type applies to a given occupation in the endorsement letter:

Type 1: a Reduced TSMIT set at 90 per cent of the standard threshold, with earnings able to include guaranteed overtime
Type 2: the same Reduced TSMIT, with earnings able to include guaranteed overtime plus both non-monetary and monetary benefits

Employers must provide a strong business case to access either concession, and must still pay at least the Annual Market Salary Rate for the occupation and location. Based on the current threshold of $79,423 for nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the Reduced TSMIT works out to approximately $71,481.

DAR Endorsement

An endorsement fee applies per position sought. You can obtain the exact current fee directly from Greater Shepparton City Council's Request Endorsement Application Form, or contact us and we can confirm it for you.

A request for endorsement is assessed within 7 to 10 business days where the application is clear and complete. Incomplete applications take longer to process.

Pathway to Permanent Residency

Workers sponsored under the GV DAMA on a Subclass 494 (SESR) visa can apply for the Subclass 191 (Permanent Residence Skilled Regional) visa after 3 years, this is a provisional visa outside the labour agreement itself and does not require separate DAR endorsement.

Workers on a Subclass 482 visa require at least 3 years on that visa before becoming eligible for a Subclass 186 (ENS) nomination. This is the standard federal timeframe, this DAMA does not currently negotiate a shortened pathway.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a labour agreement between the Australian Government and Greater Shepparton City Council, covering Greater Shepparton, Moira Shire, and Campaspe Shire, allowing endorsed employers to sponsor overseas workers in occupations experiencing genuine skill and labour shortages.

Greater Shepparton City Council administers endorsement for the GV DAMA.

No. A worker needs the standard 3 years on a Subclass 482 or 494 visa before becoming eligible for the Subclass 186 or Subclass 191 respectively.

Not automatically. Initial endorsement covers the first year only. To access further occupations or worker nominations in later years, the employer needs to seek subsequent year endorsement from the DAR.

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Goulburn Valley Designated Area Migration Agreement

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Overview

A Region-Specific Agreement for Greater Shepparton, Moira, and Campaspe

Who Administers This DAMA

Who This DAMA Is For

The Australian Migration Lawyers difference

Fixed price

Deal directly with a lawyer

Clear communication

Satisfaction guaranteed

Installments available

Eligibility for Employers

Eligibility for Skilled Workers

50+ years

100% success rate

Experienced

Award winning

Occupation List and Concessions

DAR Endorsement

How the Process Works for This DAMA

DAR Endorsement

Labour Agreement

Nomination

Visa Application

Subsequent Year Endorsement

Pathway to Permanent Residency

Talk to Our Migration Lawyers About the GV DAMA

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