South West WA Designated Area Migration Agreement

The South West DAMA was signed in December 2021 and took effect in January 2022, a labour agreement between the Australian Government and the Shire of Dardanup covering 12 local government areas: the City of Bunbury, the City of Busselton, the Shire of Augusta Margaret River, the Shire of Boyup Brook, the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes, the Shire of Capel, the Shire of Collie, the Shire of Dardanup, the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup, the Shire of Harvey, the Shire of Manjimup, and the Shire of Nannup. An updated agreement with an expanded occupation list was signed and took effect in November 2024.

The Department of Home Affairs has informed the Shire of Dardanup that the South West DAMA will not be renewed at the end of its current term. New applications for labour agreements, and variations to existing labour agreements, can still be made until 30 October 2026. The Shire of Dardanup is working with the Department of Home Affairs and the WA State DAMA team to support a smooth transition to the statewide WA DAMA.

Businesses with an existing South West DAMA labour agreement are not affected by this change. Terms and conditions continue for the duration of the agreement, visa conditions remain unchanged, and permanent residency pathways remain available to those who need them.