DAMA — Designated Area Migration Agreements

General information about the regional Labour Agreement pathway

MARN 1576536 · Verifiable at mara.gov.au

What a DAMA is

A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a regional Labour Agreement between the Australian Government and a Designated Area Representative — typically a state government, a territory government, or a regional development body or local council — that allows employers in the designated region to sponsor overseas workers in occupations and on terms that would not be available under the standard Subclass 482 program. The agreement covers the region as a whole; individual employers in the region apply to the Designated Area Representative for endorsement to use it.

DAMAs sit within the broader Labour Agreement framework (see Labour Agreements). The legal basis is the same — sponsorship and nomination under paragraph 140GB of the Migration Act 1958 read with the relevant nomination criteria — but the negotiation has already been done at the regional level. From an employer's perspective, the front end is DAR endorsement rather than direct Labour Agreement negotiation with the Department, which is normally faster.

Scope of this page

This page sets out what WIDEN does — and does not claim — in the DAMA space. The short version: WIDEN provides migration advice about whether a DAMA fits the business's situation, identifies the relevant Designated Area Representative for the region, and prepares the sponsorship, nomination and visa documentation once DAR endorsement is in place. WIDEN does not represent that it has a specialist case record in DAMA matters and does not act on behalf of any Designated Area Representative.

The three parties to a DAMA pathway

The Designated Area Representative (DAR). Typically a state/territory government department or a regional development body. The DAR has negotiated the regional agreement with the Department of Home Affairs and is responsible for endorsing individual employers to use it. The DAR sets the regional endorsement criteria — workforce evidence, business viability, local labour market context — within the parameters of the agreement.
The employer. A business located in (or with operations in) the designated region that wants to sponsor an overseas worker for an occupation the DAMA covers. The employer applies to the DAR for endorsement, and once endorsed, lodges sponsorship, nomination and visa applications with the Department.
The Department of Home Affairs. Decides the sponsorship, nomination and visa under the DAMA's terms, on a case-by-case basis. DAR endorsement is one step in the process; it does not bind the Department's individual decisions.

WIDEN's role sits with the employer — advising on whether the pathway fits, preparing the documentation, and (once DAR endorsement is in place) the sponsorship, nomination and visa work. WIDEN does not act on behalf of any DAR.

Regions with a DAMA

DAMAs have operated in a number of regional and remote areas across Australia. The list, the regions covered, and the Designated Area Representative for each region change over time — agreements are renewed, varied, or replaced; new DAMAs are added; and occasionally agreements lapse. Rather than listing specific regions here (and risking out-of-date information), the current list should be verified against the Department of Home Affairs Labour Agreement pages and the relevant DAR's own page before any business or relocation decision.

As a general starting point, DAMAs have historically operated across parts of the Northern Territory, several Western Australian regions, regional Queensland, regional New South Wales, regional South Australia (including parts of Adelaide), and parts of regional Victoria. The exact regions and the current DAR for each are published by the Department.

Concessions a DAMA can deliver

Concessions vary by DAMA and are set in the deed for the region. Commonly available concessions include:

Occupations outside the standard lists. Each DAMA has its own occupation list, often broader than the standard Core Skills and Specialist Skills lists, reflecting the labour market needs of the region.
Salary concessions. Many DAMAs allow nominations below the standard Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) or Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT), within bounds set in the agreement.
English language concessions. Where the available pool of candidates cannot meet the standard English requirement and the role can be performed safely at a lower level.
PR pathway. Some DAMAs allow a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 186 Labour Agreement stream after a defined period of employment with the sponsor in the region, sometimes with age concessions above the standard cap.

The concessions in a particular DAMA, and the criteria the employer and the nominee have to meet to access them, are set out in the DAMA deed and the DAR's eligibility guidelines.

How a DAMA matter typically runs

Eligibility assessment. Is the business genuinely located in (or operating in) a DAMA region? Does the occupation appear on the DAMA's occupation list? Is the salary within the allowed bounds? Does the nominee meet the DAMA's nominee criteria? In some cases the right answer is the standard Subclass 482, not a DAMA.
DAR endorsement application. The employer applies to the Designated Area Representative for endorsement, with the evidence the DAR requires. The DAR's process and timeline are set by the DAR, not by the Department.
Sponsorship application to the Department. Once the DAR has endorsed the employer, the sponsorship application is lodged with the Department of Home Affairs under the DAMA.
Nomination application. The role is nominated under the 482 Labour Agreement stream, on the terms the DAMA permits (including any salary or English concession).
Visa application. The nominee applies for the Subclass 482 visa under the Labour Agreement stream.
PR pathway (where the DAMA allows it). After the defined period of employment, the nominee may be eligible to apply for the Subclass 186 under the Labour Agreement stream — subject to the DAMA's terms and the standard 186 criteria.

Cost recovery — Migration Regulation 2.87

DAMA sponsorship and nomination costs cannot be recovered from the sponsored worker. Migration Regulation 2.87 prohibits a sponsor from recovering certain costs from a sponsored person, including the cost of becoming a sponsor and the cost of the nomination. Where the relevant DAR charges an endorsement fee, that cost also sits with the employer. Arrangements that pass these costs back to the worker put the sponsor's approval at risk.

What WIDEN does on a DAMA matter

Initial consultation — a paid 30-minute consultation about whether a DAMA fits the business's situation, identification of the relevant DAR, and an early read on the eligibility criteria for the business and the nominee.
Coordination with the DAR — preparing the materials the employer will need to support its endorsement application to the DAR. The DAR engagement itself is the employer's, not WIDEN's, and WIDEN does not act on behalf of the DAR.
Sponsorship, nomination and visa work — once DAR endorsement is in place, preparing and lodging the sponsorship, nomination and visa documentation with the Department under a written service agreement.
Downstream PR pathway — where the DAMA allows it, assisting with the Subclass 186 Labour Agreement stream application once the eligibility period is met.
Honest referral — for matters that would be better served by an agent with a specialist regional or DAMA-specific track record, WIDEN will say so in the consultation.

What WIDEN does not do

WIDEN does not represent that it has a specialist DAMA case record.
WIDEN does not act on behalf of any Designated Area Representative.
WIDEN does not act on behalf of the Department's Industry Settings team.
WIDEN does not assist a sponsor to recover sponsorship or nomination costs from a sponsored worker.
WIDEN does not guarantee that a DAR will endorse an employer, that a nomination under a DAMA will be approved, or that a visa under an executed nomination will be granted (section 15).

Frequently asked questions

What is a DAMA?

A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a regional Labour Agreement between the Australian Government and a Designated Area Representative — typically a state government, territory government, or local council — that allows employers in the designated region to sponsor overseas workers in occupations not normally available under the standard Subclass 482, often with concessions on salary, English and (in some cases) age and PR pathways. The agreement covers the region, not the individual employer; each employer in the region applies to the Designated Area Representative for endorsement under the DAMA.

Which regions currently have a DAMA?

DAMAs operate across a number of regional and remote areas in Australia, including (historically) the Northern Territory, several Western Australian regions such as the Goldfields and the Pilbara, regions in regional Queensland including Cairns and Townsville, regions in regional New South Wales, regions in South Australia including parts of Adelaide and regional SA, and parts of regional Victoria. The list of active DAMAs and the regions they cover changes over time — the current list should be verified against the Department of Home Affairs Labour Agreement pages before any business or relocation decision.

Who endorses an employer to use a DAMA?

The Designated Area Representative for the region — typically a state government department, territory government department, or a regional development body or council — endorses the employer first. The Department of Home Affairs then assesses the sponsorship under the existing DAMA. WIDEN does not act on behalf of any Designated Area Representative and cannot influence DAR endorsement decisions; the employer engages the DAR directly.

What concessions are typically available under a DAMA?

Concessions vary by DAMA and are set in the agreement for the region, but commonly include access to occupations not on the standard Core Skills or Specialist Skills lists, salary concessions below the standard income thresholds (CSIT/SSIT), English language concessions, and — in DAMAs that allow it — a pathway to permanent residency through the Subclass 186 Labour Agreement stream. The available concessions, the eligible occupations, and the eligibility criteria for nominees are set out in each individual DAMA's deed and accompanying guidelines.

What is the difference between a DAMA, a company-specific Labour Agreement, and standard 482 sponsorship?

Standard Subclass 482 sponsorship uses Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) and nominates from the relevant skilled occupation lists at the standard income thresholds. A company-specific Labour Agreement is negotiated between the Department and a single business, for that business alone. A DAMA is a regional agreement — the agreement is between the Department and the Designated Area Representative for the region, and businesses in the region apply to the DAR for endorsement to use it. DAMAs are typically faster than negotiating a company-specific Labour Agreement because the regional agreement already exists.

What visa subclass does a DAMA worker apply for?

DAMA nominees normally apply for the Subclass 482 visa under the Labour Agreement stream. Some DAMAs also allow a Subclass 186 Labour Agreement stream pathway to permanent residency after a defined period of employment with the sponsor. The exact visa pathway available for a particular DAMA — including any PR pathway and the timing — is set out in the DAMA itself.

Does WIDEN have specialist DAMA case experience?

No. WIDEN does not represent that it has a specialist case record in DAMA endorsement and sponsorship matters. WIDEN's role on a DAMA matter would be migration advice in an initial consultation about whether a DAMA fits the business's situation, identifying the relevant Designated Area Representative for the region, and preparing the sponsorship, nomination and visa documentation once DAR endorsement is in place. Businesses with a complex DAMA matter should also consider engaging an agent with that specific regional track record.

Does a DAMA guarantee that nominations and visa applications will be approved?

No. DAMA endorsement opens the door to sponsorship under the negotiated terms, but each nomination and each visa application is decided individually. The Designated Area Representative's endorsement is one step in the process, not a substitute for the Department's nomination and visa decisions. Section 15 of the Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2022 prohibits any guarantee of outcome by a registered migration agent.

Can DAMA sponsorship and nomination costs be passed to the worker?

No. Migration Regulation 2.87 prohibits a sponsor from recovering certain costs from a sponsored person, including the cost of becoming a sponsor and the cost of the nomination. The DAR endorsement costs (where charged), the sponsorship costs and the nomination costs are sponsor obligations and cannot be passed to the worker.

Discuss a DAMA matter

Book a consultation

A 30-minute initial consultation will clarify whether a DAMA is the right pathway for your business, which Designated Area Representative covers your region, and what evidence will be needed for endorsement.

Consultation fee: $200 + GST. Tax invoice with MARN issued. The OMARA Consumer Guide is provided to all clients before the consultation begins.

Book Consultation →

Labour Agreements (general) — the broader Labour Agreement framework DAMAs sit within
Subclass 482 Skills in Demand — the standard sponsored work-visa program
Subclass 186 — Permanent Residency — including the Labour Agreement stream that some DAMAs feed into
Regional Migration (491 / 494 / 191) — different pathway, regional focus
Sponsor a Worker (overview)
Pre-Lodgement Risk Audit — peer RMA review for sponsored-work nominations
Department of Home Affairs — Labour Agreements and DAMAs (official source)

This page contains general information about Designated Area Migration Agreements and does not constitute migration advice. WIDEN does not represent that it has specialist case experience in DAMA matters; whether this pathway fits a specific business or nominee is assessed in an initial consultation. Migration advice for a specific matter is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) after a paid initial consultation under section 43 of the Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2022, with a written service agreement issued before further work commences under section 42. The OMARA Consumer Guide is provided to all clients before the consultation begins. Outcomes of DAR endorsement, sponsorship, nomination and visa decisions cannot be guaranteed (section 15). DAR endorsement is the responsibility of the relevant Designated Area Representative — WIDEN does not act on the DAR's behalf and cannot influence DAR decisions. References to legislation, regions and Department processes are correct at the date of publication; verify current settings at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before acting. Professional indemnity insurance is held as required under the Migration Agents Regulations 1998.