Registered migration agent Eva Abdelmessiah’s 23 October ‘Daily Morning Migration Update’ confirms that consultation on New South Wales’ first Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) closes today. Stakeholders – including regional councils and industry bodies – have until midnight to lodge submissions on skills shortages and concessions sought. A NSW-specific DAMA would join six existing state agreements and could open lower-skill and age-concession pathways for employers outside Sydney, particularly in agriculture, aged care and hospitality. However, the update emphasises that no agreement has yet been approved or commenced. Parallel social-media chatter claims that NSW issued skilled-nomination invitations (subclass 190) dated 21 October. The state government has not confirmed the reports, and the federal SkillSelect system has not published a subclass 189 invitation round since June. Mobility practitioners should treat the claims cautiously and rely on official program dashboards. For employers, today’s consultation deadline is the last chance to influence occupation lists and concession settings before the proposal goes to the federal Department of Home Affairs. Companies anticipating regional hiring in 2027 should review labour-market evidence and lodge supportive submissions. The briefing also reminds readers that regional employer-sponsored visas (subclass 494) already exist and may offer faster pathways than waiting for a new DAMA. Global mobility teams should weigh the relative merits once NSW releases formal program details.
Source: Migrate2Australia
