From Visa Refusal to DAMA Success – John’s Path to the Subclass 494 Visa

John was in the middle of an Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) appeal after his visa application was refused. He had been working for several years on a farm in South Australia, but believed he had no pathway to skilled migration due to lacking formal qualifications and high-level technical skills.

John’s employer, M, reached out to me for advice, hoping to find a way for John to remain in Australia and continue working, as skilled labour was in short supply for farm operations.

After reviewing John’s documents and learning about his day-to-day work, I recommended the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) as a potential pathway to permanent residency. His role closely matched a specific occupation listed under South Australia’s DAMA – Skilled Horticultural Worker.

We immediately began the DAMA process for both John and his employer. Within three weeks, we secured the SA DAMA endorsement, which included both a salary concession and an English language concession. We then promptly lodged the Labour Agreement request, which was approved in just 1.5 months.

Finally, after seven months from the start of the process, John’s Subclass 494 visa was granted — a complete turnaround from his initial visa refusal. ✅