DAMA · WA · Checked 5 September 2026
Pilbara DAMA (WA)
The Pilbara DAMA is a labour agreement for employers in the Pilbara, including Karratha and Port Hedland, that lets them sponsor overseas workers in occupations and on terms the standard 482 does not allow: English from IELTS 5.0, an age limit of 55 (50 for skill level 5 occupations) for permanent residence, and up to 10% off the income threshold for most skill level 3 to 5 occupations, after endorsement by RDA Pilbara at A$350 + GST per position. Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536), prepares the endorsement request, the labour agreement and the nominations from A$6,000 + GST, as on our fees page.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 5 September 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Region
- The Pilbara — Karratha, Port Hedland and surrounds
- DAR (who endorses)
- RDA Pilbara
- Visa vehicle
- 482 labour-agreement stream
- PR pathway
- 186 labour-agreement stream (per occupation)
- Checked
- 5 September 2026
The migration agent that other migration agents learn from. WIDEN is an OMARA-approved CPD provider — our training is rated ★4.8 by 40+ registered migration agents.
About the CPD →Pilbara DAMA (WA): what it costs an employer
| What | Paid to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DAMA endorsement, per position (non-refundable) | RDA Pilbara | A$350 + GST |
| Standard business sponsorship | Home Affairs | A$420 |
| 482 nomination | Home Affairs | A$330 |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, per year of the visa | Home Affairs | A$1,200 (turnover under A$10 million) or A$1,800 |
| 482 visa, main applicant | Home Affairs | A$4,015 |
| DAMA labour agreement request and nominations, prepared and lodged | WIDEN | from A$6,000 + GST |
RDA Pilbara (fees, concessions), read 1 November 2026. Home Affairs price list read 1 November 2026; visa charge read 21 October 2026. WIDEN fee as on /fees/ (1 November 2026). See also the aged care labour agreement and labour agreements.
How a DAMA actually works
A Designated Area Migration Agreement is a deal between the Commonwealth and a region, administered locally by the Designated Area Representative — here, RDA Pilbara. Employers in the region apply to the DAR for endorsement, enter a labour agreement, and can then sponsor workers under the 482's labour-agreement stream on the agreement's terms rather than the standard settings. RDA Pilbara endorsement, labour agreement, 482 labour-agreement stream; permanent residence through the 494 or, after 3 years full-time, the 186 (no Direct Entry).
The concessions
English from an average IELTS 5.0 (for the 186, no component below 4.0) unless licensing needs more; an age limit of 55 for permanent residence (50 for skill level 5 occupations); and up to 10% off the income threshold for most skill level 3 to 5 occupations (RDA Pilbara, read 1 November 2026). Two honest cautions: concessions are per occupation, not blanket — the occupation schedule decides — and agreements are renegotiated, so a concession that existed last program year may have changed. As at 5 September 2026, the current schedule is confirmed by the DAR (official page).
Using it as a candidate
You cannot apply for a DAMA directly — the employer is the door. The practical sequence: target employers in The Pilbara — Karratha, Port Hedland and surrounds, be visible where they search (a SponsorTalent profile reaches sponsors directly), and raise the DAMA with employers who do not know it exists — many regional businesses have never used their own agreement. If you are over 45, or short of the standard English or salary settings, this is one of the few structural answers: get advice on whether your occupation carries the concession you need before you commit.
Regional status of the towns this agreement covers: Karratha · Port Hedland.
Using it as an employer
If you run a business in The Pilbara — Karratha, Port Hedland and surrounds and cannot fill roles locally, the DAMA likely covers occupations the standard 482 cannot touch. The endorsement and labour-agreement process has real paperwork — labour-market evidence, business standing, the agreement itself — and that is exactly the work a registered migration agent carries. How sponsoring works, or talk to us directly.
General information only, not migration advice. DAMA settings are agreement- and occupation-specific and change at renewal; verify current schedules with the DAR. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) after a paid consultation under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
For employers
Get a fixed quote to sponsor a worker
Four details and you get a fixed fee quote and an indicative timeline in writing within a business day, from Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) personally. No call unless you want one.
Not sure which visa fits you?
Answer three questions. An automated guide points you to the route that usually applies. General information only.
Questions we get asked first
What does the Pilbara DAMA cost an employer?
RDA Pilbara charges A$350 + GST per position for endorsement (non-refundable). Home Affairs then charges A$420 for sponsorship, A$330 per 482 nomination and the Skilling Australians Fund levy (A$1,200 or A$1,800 a year of the visa), and the worker's 482 visa is A$4,015. WIDEN prepares the endorsement request, the labour agreement and the nominations from A$6,000 + GST, as on our fees page.
What is the Pilbara DAMA (WA)?
Built for the resources heartland: trades, drivers, technicians and the services that keep mining towns running. It is a Designated Area Migration Agreement: a labour agreement between the Commonwealth and the region that lets endorsed local employers sponsor overseas workers on terms adjusted to the region — occupations beyond the standard lists and, occupation by occupation, concessions to the standard age, English and salary settings.
What concessions does the Pilbara DAMA (WA) offer?
English from an average IELTS 5.0 (for the 186, no component below 4.0) unless licensing needs more; an age limit of 55 for permanent residence (50 for skill level 5 occupations); and up to 10% off the income threshold for most skill level 3 to 5 occupations (RDA Pilbara, read 1 November 2026). The exact settings are defined per occupation in the agreement's schedule and change at renewal — the Designated Area Representative (RDA Pilbara) publishes and confirms the current list.
Can I apply for the Pilbara DAMA (WA) myself as a worker?
Not directly — a DAMA runs through employers. The sequence: a local employer obtains endorsement from the DAR, enters a labour agreement, and then nominates you under the 482 labour-agreement stream. Your job as a candidate is to be hired by an endorsed (or endorsable) employer in the region — which is why regional job-search and a visible profile matter more here than anywhere.
Is there a path to permanent residency under this DAMA?
Most current DAMAs include PR pathways via the 186 labour-agreement stream after a qualifying period, with the concessions (including age, where granted) carried through — one of the few routes where an applicant over 45 can realistically reach PR. The occupation's schedule in the current agreement is decisive: verify it with the DAR or through advice before building plans on it.
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