Migration agents serving Perth

Reviewed by a registered migration agent · MARN 1795282
Updated 5 October 2026

Perth is a Category 2 regional centre for migration, which means — unlike Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — you can live and work in Perth on a 491 or 494 visa and move to permanent residence through the 191. Western Australia also has a state-wide DAMA that covers metropolitan Perth. State nomination is run by Migration WA through the State Nominated Migration Program; at 5 October 2026 its 2026–27 settings had not been published.

State nomination in Western Australia

WA nomination works through invitation rounds drawn from SkillSelect, so your Expression of Interest needs to be complete and up to date. The 2025–26 program had two streams: a General stream for occupations on the WA Skilled Migration Occupation List (WASMOL Schedule 1 or 2), and a Graduate stream for international students completing VET or higher education qualifications in WA, using the Graduate Occupation List. State nomination adds five points for the 190 and 15 points for the 491.

Status at 5 October 2026: Migration WA’s program page still showed the 2025–26 settings (invitation rounds for that year began in December 2025), and nothing had been published for 2026–27. Occupation lists are updated in line with WA industry needs, so check the program page rather than relying on last year’s lists.

Official program page: WA State Nominated Migration Program (Migration WA). Nomination is decided by the state or territory, and meeting the criteria does not guarantee an invitation or a visa.

Is Perth “regional” for visa purposes?

Category 2 — Cities and Major Regional Centres. Home Affairs sorts every Australian postcode into three categories. Category 2 and 3 areas are “designated regional areas”, where the 491 and 494 visas apply and which lead to the 191 permanent visa.

Yes. Perth’s metropolitan postcodes are Category 2 (“cities and major regional centres”), and every other WA postcode is Category 3. A 491 holder nominated by WA can live in Perth, Perth employers can nominate positions under the 494, and both visas lead to the 191 permanent visa once the conditions are met.

There is a study benefit too: Home Affairs says graduates who studied and lived in a Category 2 area may be eligible for an additional year on a second Temporary Graduate visa.

Employer sponsorship in Perth

Perth employers have more options than employers in the east-coast capitals: the 482 and 186, the regional 494, and — where an occupation or concession isn’t available under the standard programs — the WA DAMA.

For building and construction businesses, Migration WA runs a Construction Migration Office and a Construction Visa Subsidy Program offering grants of up to $10,000 towards skilled migration costs such as visa application fees, migration agent fees and relocation. Eligibility is set by Migration WA. Our employer guides cover the sponsorship side; we don’t recruit.

Is there a DAMA in Perth?

The Western Australian DAMA covers the whole state, including metropolitan Perth, and was established in July 2024. Migration WA says 50% of its places are allocated to metropolitan Perth (Category 2). Employers apply to Migration Services for endorsement first — Migration WA says it doesn’t currently charge an endorsement fee — and then negotiate a labour agreement with Home Affairs.

The WA DAMA sits alongside regional DAMAs in the Goldfields, East Kimberley, Pilbara and South West. Where an occupation isn’t available under a regional DAMA but is on the WA DAMA list, employers can apply directly to Migration Services.

How we work with clients in Perth

We advise Perth clients remotely, by phone and video, and allow for the time difference with Sydney when booking calls. Because Perth is regional for migration, Perth cases often involve comparing several routes at once — 190 or 491 nomination, a 494 with a Perth employer, or a WA DAMA labour agreement — and choosing the one that fits your occupation, age and timing.

Registered migration agents are regulated federally, so our registration (MARN 1795282) covers advice and lodgement in Perth and anywhere else in Australia. Every case is assessed on its own facts; we can’t promise an invitation, nomination or visa outcome.

Visas most relevant in Perth

• Skilled Work Regional visa (491) — Perth counts as regional
• Skilled Nominated visa (190) — WA nomination, permanent
• Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (494) — Perth employers can sponsor
• Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (191) — Permanent visa after 491 or 494
• Skills in Demand visa (482) — Employer-sponsored, temporary
• Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Employer-sponsored, permanent

Also see partner visas, student visas and our free tools.

Perth migration FAQs

Sources

Last checked: 5 October 2026. Program settings change during the year, so confirm the current position on the official pages below before acting.

• Migration WA — State Nominated Migration Program
• Migration WA — Designated Area Migration Agreement
• Migration WA — home (Construction Visa Subsidy Program)
• Home Affairs — Designated regional area postcodes
• Home Affairs — Regional migration
• Home Affairs — Designated area migration agreements