Subclass 494 DAMA Visa Granted for Over-45 Nurse with Age and English Exemptions

We identified the DAMA (Designated Area Migration Agreement) scheme as the viable pathway, offering potential exemptions for both age and English. We facilitated discussions with the employer — who had no prior sponsorship experience — explaining the DAMA process and securing their agreement over four to five dedicated meetings. We guided the employer through all sponsorship documentation over a four-month preparation period. When we discovered the state government's initial DAMA endorsement had omitted the age exemption clause, we acted swiftly during the Christmas holiday period to contact the relevant authority and secured corrected documentation by late January 2023. We also advised the eldest child to continue studying to preserve dependent eligibility. The 494 application was lodged just three weeks before the applicant's visa expired.

• Identification of DAMA as the only viable pathway addressing both the over-45 age and English proficiency barriers simultaneously
• Patient employer engagement over multiple sessions to bring a first-time sponsor to readiness
• Swift response during the holiday period to correct the missing age exemption clause in the endorsement documentation
• Timely advice on maintaining the eldest child's dependent eligibility with only weeks to spare