The Great South Coast DAMA lets employers in six south-west Victorian council areas sponsor 482 workers in 113 approved occupations, once Warrnambool City Council, the designated area representative, endorses the business. The region entered the agreement in March 2019, it was extended into a seventh year in March 2025, and the Council accepts employer applications at any time. Check the occupation in the Council’s table of approved occupations, which shows each skill level and concession, then apply for endorsement at $850 or $1,000 per worker before requesting a labour agreement.
| Setting | Great South Coast DAMA, 24 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Endorsing body | Warrnambool City Council |
| Area | Glenelg Shire, Southern Grampians Shire, Moyne Shire, Corangamite Shire, Colac-Otway Shire, Warrnambool City |
| Agreement | From March 2019; extended into a seventh year (March 2025); an undated Council notice reported a renewal for a further five years |
| Current end date | Not published |
| Occupations | 113 |
| English for the 482 | IELTS 5.0 overall, no minimum component |
| Salary | 90% of TSMIT (Type 1 or Type 2) |
| Age (494 and 186) | 55 for skill levels 1 to 4, 50 for skill level 5 |
| Permanent residence | 482 holders after 2 years’ employment; 494 holders after 3 years |
| Endorsement fee | $850 or $1,000 per worker (ex GST) |
| Checked | 24 September 2026 |
| Item | Amount | Applies from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great South Coast DAMA endorsement fee per worker, turnover under $10 million (ex GST) | $850 | 1 July 2026 | Warrnambool City Council: Great South Coast DAMA |
| Great South Coast DAMA endorsement fee per worker, turnover over $10 million (ex GST) | $1,000 | 1 July 2026 | Warrnambool City Council: Great South Coast DAMA |
| Annual turnover at which the higher Skilling Australians Fund levy applies | $10 million | 12 August 2018 | Migration (Skilling Australians Fund) Charges Regulations 2018, s 5(2) |
| Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), now used for the 494 and 187 | $79,423 | 1 July 2026 | Home Affairs: salary requirements |
| Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) | $79,423 | 1 July 2026 | Home Affairs: salary requirements |
| TSMIT for nominations lodged 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 | $76,515 | 1 July 2025 | Home Affairs: salary requirements |
| IELTS score for a 482 (each of the four components) | 5.0 | 13 September 2025 | Home Affairs: sufficient English for the 482 |
| 482 nomination fee | $330 | current | Home Affairs: cost of sponsoring |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, 482, turnover under $10 million (per year nominated) | $1,200 | current | Home Affairs: cost of sponsoring |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, 482, turnover $10 million or more (per year nominated) | $1,800 | current | Home Affairs: cost of sponsoring |
Who endorses Great South Coast DAMA positions?
Warrnambool City Council fulfils the designated area representative (DAR) role, as its Great South Coast DAMA site states. From 1 July 2026 the Council charges, per worker nominated:
- $850 (ex GST) for a business with annual turnover under $10 million;
- $1,000 (ex GST) for a business with turnover above it.
Some pages still show the lower fees that applied before 1 July 2026. Only employers based in the six council areas can apply, and each must first show a genuine attempt to recruit Australians, as Home Affairs requires of every DAMA employer.
Which councils does it cover?
The Great South Coast DAMA covers six council areas in south-west Victoria:
- Glenelg Shire
- Southern Grampians Shire
- Moyne Shire
- Corangamite Shire
- Colac-Otway Shire
- Warrnambool City
Only employers based in these local government areas can apply for a Great South Coast labour agreement. The region is one of two Victorian DAMAs, with the Goulburn Valley; the full list of 13 is compared in the guide to the DAMA visa.
How long has the Great South Coast DAMA run?
- March 2019: the Great South Coast region enters a DAMA with the Commonwealth.
- One-year extension (undated on the Council’s site): the DAMA allows up to 300 workers in more than 120 occupations, and cuts the 482-to-PR wait from three years to two.
- 31 March 2025: the agreement is extended into a seventh year, with about 600 positions at more than 100 businesses endorsed and 113 occupations approved.
- 26 March 2026: an occupation covered by an industry labour agreement is endorsed only if the worker will be employed in a different industry.
- Undated: an older notice on the Council’s site says it is renewing the regional DAMA for another five years. No end date is published.
Which 113 occupations can a Great South Coast employer nominate?
The Council’s table of approved occupations lists 113 occupations across skill levels 1 to 5. Each row shows the skill level, whether English, TSMIT and age concessions apply, and whether the occupation has a pathway to permanent residence. Two rows show the pattern:
| Occupation | Skill level | English and TSMIT concessions | Age limit (494 and 186) | Permanent residence pathway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook (351411) | 3 | Yes | 55 | Yes |
| Cafe worker (431211) | 5 | Yes | 50 | Yes |
Which concessions does the Great South Coast DAMA give?
| Concession | Great South Coast terms | Effect on a 482 |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 55 for skill levels 1 to 4, 50 for skill level 5, for the 494 and 186 | Not needed: the 482 has no age requirement |
| English | 482 and 494: IELTS 5.0 overall with no minimum component. 186: IELTS 5.0 average with no component below 4.0. Higher where registration or licensing requires it | Replaces the standard 5.0 in each component |
| Salary | Reduced TSMIT of 90%. Type 1: reduced TSMIT, with earnings that may include guaranteed overtime. Type 2: adds monetary and non-monetary benefits, with board (accommodation and meals) valued at no more than the Regional Victoria homestay fee | Lowers the floor from $79,423 to 90% of it for occupations with the TSMIT concession |
The concessions apply to the occupations the table marks, not to every role on the list.
What salary must a Great South Coast DAMA position pay?
A Great South Coast DAMA position pays at least the annual market salary rate and the TSMIT or CSIT, $79,423 from 1 July 2026, or at least 90% of it for an occupation with the TSMIT concession. It never pays below the award or what Australians in comparable roles earn.
The Council’s concessions page still quotes the $76,515 TSMIT that applied from 1 July 2025; the threshold changed on 1 July 2026, and the 90% concession is set against the current figure. The market-rate test is explained in the guide to the salary threshold for 482 visa nominations.
A Great South Coast TSMIT concession depends on how guaranteed overtime and board are counted towards the reduced threshold, so an immigration lawyer who prepares the salary evidence makes an approved endorsement and nomination more likely.
Does the Great South Coast DAMA lead to a 186?
Yes. Warrnambool City Council says 482 holders can move to permanent residence after two years’ employment with a sponsoring employer, reduced from three, and 494 holders after three years. The 186 step runs through the Labour Agreement stream, with the DAMA’s age limit of 55, or 50 for skill level 5 occupations. The documents and timing are covered in the guide to the 482 to 186 step.
The Goulburn Valley DAMA
Victoria’s other DAMA is the Goulburn Valley DAMA in the Shepparton region, covering the Greater Shepparton, Moira and Campaspe council areas.
Unregistered agents
An unregistered agent who gives immigration assistance on a sponsorship, nomination or visa is breaking the law (Migration Act 1958 s 280). They also carry no professional indemnity insurance, so if their mistake leads to a refusal, lost fees or a closed pathway, the worker or employer has no insurer to claim against. A practising Australian lawyer must carry that insurance.
Questions people ask
Is the Great South Coast DAMA a pathway to PR?
Yes. Warrnambool City Council says 482 holders can move to permanent residence after two years' employment with a sponsoring employer, and 494 holders after three.
Which areas in Australia are eligible for the Great South Coast DAMA?
Six south-west Victorian council areas: Glenelg, Southern Grampians, Moyne, Corangamite, Colac-Otway and Warrnambool. Only employers based in those areas can apply.
How much does Great South Coast DAMA endorsement cost?
From 1 July 2026, $850 per worker for a business with turnover under $10 million and $1,000 above it, ex GST, on top of the Home Affairs nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy.
What is the Warrnambool DAMA occupation list?
It is Warrnambool City Council's table of 113 approved occupations for the Great South Coast DAMA, showing each one's skill level, concessions and permanent residence eligibility.