Starting 19 March 2025, Australia’s new Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) for the Northern Territory (NT) will take effect. This agreement aims to help employers address critical workforce shortages by allowing them to sponsor up to 1,500 overseas workers annually.
The DAMA will be in place until 30 June 2030 and includes an expanded list of 325 in-demand occupations.
What is a DAMA?
A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a special migration arrangement that allows businesses in designated regions to access a more flexible skilled visa pathway. Key benefits of a DAMA include:
- Expanded occupation list beyond standard skilled visa categories.
- Concessions on skills, experience, and English language requirements to attract more workers.
- Support for employers struggling to find local talent.
Individual DAMA labor agreements are formal arrangements made between the Australian Government and approved employers or businesses operating within a designated region. These agreements:
- Typically remain valid for five years, and
- Operate through the following visa programs:
- Subclass 482 – Skills in Demand (SID)
- Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)
- Subclass 186 – Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS)
Eligibility Requirements for DAMA
To access the Northern Territory Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA), the following conditions must be met:
- Employer Sponsorship: Individuals cannot apply for a DAMA independently. They must be sponsored by an approved employer based in the designated region, and the nominated occupation must be listed in the DAMA head agreement.
- Genuine Recruitment Efforts: Employers are required to demonstrate that they have made genuine attempts to hire local Australian workers before seeking to sponsor overseas candidates.
- Eligible Occupations: Only occupations included in the DAMA agreement are eligible. The list covers a wide range of roles across multiple industries.
DAMA Application Process
Individuals cannot apply for a DAMA directly. Instead, an approved employer in the designated region must sponsor them. The application process is as follows:
| Requirement | Description |
| Employer Endorsement | Employers must be endorsed by MigrationNT and enter a five-year labor agreement with the Department of Home Affairs. |
| Job Offer | The employer must provide a job offer to the overseas worker for an eligible occupation. |
| Submission of Application | Employers can submit their application through the NT DAMA portal, along with the required documentation. |
Key Features of the NT DAMA III
| Feature | NT DAMA III (2025-2030) | Previous NT DAMA |
| Total Occupations Covered | 325 | 135 |
| Annual Nominations | 1,500 | 625 |
| Duration | Until 30 June 2030 | Previous agreements since 2015 |
| Flexibility | Skills, experience, and English concessions | Limited concessions |
| Alignment | With state and territory migration plans | Less alignment |
DAMA NT Occupations List
There have currently been announced 325 occupations in the Northern Territory list. These were previously 135. However, the new list is still not complete. All occupations can be seen here.
Background and Development
- NT was the first Australian jurisdiction to establish a DAMA in 2015.
- The third DAMA (NT DAMA III) has been developed based on sustained labor market shortages.
- The agreement includes occupation and regional-level labor market analysis conducted by Jobs and Skills Australia.