The Australian Government is providing employers in the Orana region with greater access to skilled workers by strengthening the Orana Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA), in order to meet labour-market challenges.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke said the Government consulted with businesses across the region to understand where skills shortages are most prevalent.
“The Australian Government aims to address businesses’ needs with the inclusion of a range of occupations including automotive trades, teachers, aged care and additional health professionals,” Minister Hawke said.
“Businesses in the Orana region now have access to overseas workers across 65 occupations. This is one of the real benefits of these agreements – providing access to critical workers for jobs unable to be filled locally,” he said.
Federal Member for Parkes the Hon Mark Coulton MP said the changes approved under the Orana DAMA show the commitment of this Government to supporting Australian employers by encouraging overseas workers to consider regional migration as a genuine alternative to big city living.
“The inclusion of more flexible permanent residency pathways under the Orana DAMA will incentivise overseas workers to set down roots in the region and make long-term economic and social contributions, including through transferring skills to local workers,” Mr Coulton said.
“One of the biggest issues currently facing our region is the labour shortage, with job vacancies across a range of different occupations. I’m hopeful that these changes to the DAMA will bring more workers to our region to fill these vacancies,” Mr Coulton said.
On 3 April 2019, the Australian Government entered into a DAMA with the Regional Development Australia (RDA) Orana (the Designated Area Representative). The RDA Orana administers the process for accessing the Orana DAMA which is open to businesses operating in any of the two major regional centres: Dubbo (Dubbo Region) and Mudgee (Midwestern Region) and takes in twelve smaller Local Government Areas (LGAs) including Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narromine, Walgett, Warren and Warrumbungle.
“I want to thank Regional Development Australia Orana for their commitment to supporting businesses with workforce development and in welcoming and supporting overseas workers to the Orana region,” Mr Coulton said.
Brad Cam, Chairman of Regional Development Australia Orana, thanked Minister Hawke and Mr Coulton for their continued support of the Orana DAMA.
“Migration is one of the most immediate ways to address a labour shortage in regional areas,” Mr Cam said.
“Our businesses report that the migrant workforce plays an important role in helping them to plug vacancies. Of particular importance to the region is the inclusion of ANZSCO Skill level 4 and 5 occupations, including clerks, aged care workers, mobile plant operators, security officers and waiters,” he said.
“Any business interested in sponsoring a migrant worker can contact the RDA Orana staff, who will assist them through the process of accessing the Orana DAMA,” Mr Cam said.
More information on DAMAs can be found at Designated Area Migration Agreements.
