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ARTICLE · 22 FEBRUARY 2019

Global Directions: Mobility Trends In Mid-February 2019

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The Australian government recently signed the Northern Territory Designation Area Migration Agreement ("DAMA II"),

GlobalImmigration
Elizabeth Espín Stern
Elizabeth Espín Stern
Paul W. Virtue
Paul W. Virtue
Grace Shie
Grace Shie
Paul Justas Sarauskas
Paul Justas Sarauskas
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Asia

Australia

New Agreements Target Labor Shortage

The Australian government recently signed the Northern Territory Designation Area Migration Agreement ("DAMA II"), a five-year agreement aimed at combating a labor shortage in the Northern Territory and encouraging the movement of workers out of the overcrowded urban areas and into regional and rural areas. This is the second agreement that that Northern Territory has entered into. The prior one expired on December 31, 2018. DAMA II broadens the number of approved occupations and offers a pathway to permanent residency. Employers seeking to hire foreign national workers pursuant to DAMA II will also be able to sponsor individuals to fill positions that do not appear on the shortage list of 117 skilled and semi-skilled occupations provided the employers can demonstrate that they are unable to employ a qualified Australian worker. In addition, DAMA II provides some concessions for English language and

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