Surprise: Victoria Is an Entire “Designated Area” — But Is It a DAMA?
Surprise: Victoria is expressly listed as “Entire State” in Australia’s new Migration (Designated Areas) Instrument 2026. At first glance, that sounds like an enormous migration announcement. It is easy to read the words “designated area” and conclude that Victoria has just become a statewide Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA), or that Melbourne has suddenly become regional for migration purposes.
That is not what the new instrument does.
The Migration (Designated Areas) Instrument 2026, registered on 21 September 2026, lists Victoria — Entire State. But the previous 2016 instrument also listed Victoria — Entire State. The 2026 instrument therefore should not be read, by itself, as a new statewide Victorian DAMA announcement.
What the new 2026 instrument actually says
The new instrument specifies areas for the definition of “designated area” in the Migration Regulations. For Victoria, the Schedule says simply: “Victoria — Entire State.”
That wording is important, but it must be read in the correct legislative context. The term designated area is not interchangeable with Designated Area Migration Agreement, and it is also not the same expression as designated regional area.
The surprising part: Victoria was already an “Entire State” designated area
The earlier Designated Areas 2016/044 instrument also identified Victoria as “Entire State”. In other words, the phrase appearing in the 2026 instrument is not, by itself, evidence that Victoria has just obtained a new statewide DAMA.
This distinction matters because migration law uses similar phrases for different purposes. A person should not assume that the words “designated area” mean that every part of Victoria has become regional for every visa, or that every Victorian employer can now sponsor under a DAMA.
Has Victoria become a statewide DAMA?
No statewide Victorian DAMA is presently listed by the Department of Home Affairs as at 21 September 2026.
Home Affairs currently lists 13 DAMAs around Australia. The two Victorian DAMAs on that official list are:
- Goulburn Valley DAMA; and
- Great South Coast DAMA.
A DAMA is a separate two-tier labour-agreement framework. First, there is a head agreement between the Australian Government and a Designated Area Representative. Second, individual employers seek endorsement and enter their own labour agreements under the settings of that head agreement.
A worker cannot simply apply for a “DAMA visa” because they live in Victoria. There must be an eligible employer, an applicable DAMA or other labour agreement, and the relevant nomination and visa criteria must be satisfied.
See the Department’s current Designated Area Migration Agreement list.
Does this make Melbourne a regional area?
No. Home Affairs continues to classify Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as Category 1 “Major Cities” for the regional migration definition. Category 1 locations do not receive the regional incentives available to Category 2 and Category 3 areas.
This is particularly important for people looking at subclass 491, subclass 494, regional study incentives and other visa settings that use the separate regional migration definition.
So the headline “Victoria — Entire State” does not mean Melbourne has suddenly become regional.
Why this still matters
The timing is interesting because Home Affairs has confirmed that the Government is moving toward a state and territory-led approach to DAMAs. In its current program material, the Department says it is working with jurisdictions to establish state and territory-led DAMAs to replace existing regional arrangements as they expire.
That means a broader Victorian DAMA model is a development worth watching. But it is essential to separate that policy direction from what the 2026 designated-area instrument actually does today.
What would need to happen for a true statewide Victoria DAMA?
A genuine statewide Victorian DAMA would require a separate head agreement between the Commonwealth and the relevant Victorian Designated Area Representative. That agreement would need to set out matters such as:
- the geographic coverage of the DAMA;
- the occupations that employers can nominate;
- any age, English, work experience or salary concessions;
- nomination ceilings or other limits;
- endorsement requirements for Victorian employers; and
- which visa pathways are available under the agreement.
Until those settings are formally published, employers and workers should not assume what a future statewide arrangement would contain.
What Victorian employers can use now
For an employer facing a genuine labour shortage, the practical question is not simply whether Victoria appears in a legislative list. The question is whether the business can access an existing standard employer-sponsored visa, an existing Victorian DAMA, an industry labour agreement or another labour-agreement pathway.
Depending on the circumstances, labour agreements can support nominations under the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) and Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186), subject to the relevant agreement and visa criteria.
Employers should also read our guide to labour agreements in Australia and our explanation of labour agreement concessions.
The bottom line
The attention-grabbing headline is true in one specific sense: Victoria is listed as “Entire State” in the new Migration (Designated Areas) Instrument 2026.
But the legally accurate takeaway is more nuanced. Victoria was already listed as “Entire State” under the 2016 instrument. The new instrument does not itself create a statewide Victorian DAMA, and it does not make Melbourne regional for current regional migration programs.
What is genuinely significant is the broader Commonwealth policy direction toward state and territory-led DAMAs. That makes Victoria an important jurisdiction to watch for any future formal DAMA announcement.
For a deeper explanation, read our Designated Area vs Designated Regional Area vs DAMA guide. Victorian businesses can also read our Victoria DAMA 2026 employer guide.
Reviewed 21 September 2026. This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Migration legislation, policy, and labour-agreement settings can change. Obtain advice based on the current law and your circumstances before acting.
Related Insights:
Madhab Kharel
Principal Lawyer & Director, Emigrate Lawyers
Madhab Kharel is the Principal Lawyer and Director of Emigrate Lawyers, an Australian law firm assisting clients across Australia and internationally. His migration law practice includes Partner Visas, Protection Visas, visa refusals and cancellations, Administrative Review Tribunal matters, health and character issues, Schedule 3, Section 48, sponsorship limitations and employer-sponsored migration. He regularly advises clients with complex immigration histories and matters requiring detailed legal submissions and evidence strategy.
Reviewed by Madhab Kharel, Principal Lawyer
Date reviewed: 21 September 2026
