DAMA Visa Australia: Your Complete Guide to Designated Area Migration Agreements (2026)

Last updated: 17 July 2026

A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is not a visa. It's a labour agreement between the Australian Government and a regional authority that lets endorsed employers sponsor overseas workers under the subclass 482, 494, or 186 visa programs, with negotiated concessions on age, English, salary, and experience. There are 13 DAMAs operating across Australia in 2026, each covering its own region and occupation list.

If you've been told you're "too old," under-qualified, or in the wrong occupation for a standard employer sponsored visa, a DAMA region may still have a pathway for you — provided you have a genuine job offer from an employer endorsed under that DAMA.

Not sure which DAMA region fits your occupation? Talk it through with a MARA-registered migration agent.

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What Is a DAMA Visa in Australia?

A DAMA runs on a two-tier structure. The first tier is a five-year head agreement between the Commonwealth and a Designated Area Representative (DAR) — usually a state government, regional development body, or chamber of commerce. The second tier is an individual labour agreement between the Australian Government and an employer that the DAR has endorsed.

Once an employer holds an approved DAMA labour agreement, it can nominate and sponsor workers in the occupations listed under that region's head agreement. You can't apply for a DAMA independently — you need a job offer from an employer who already holds, or is applying for, that endorsement.

Which Visa Subclasses Does a DAMA Use?

DAMA labour agreements sit on top of three existing visa programs. There is no separate "DAMA visa" application form.

Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (Labour Agreement stream) — temporary, employer-sponsored, tied to the DAMA occupation and employer. See the standard 482 visa requirements and 482 salary requirement for the settings a DAMA can vary
Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Labour Agreement stream) — five-year provisional visa, can lead to the subclass 191 after three years
Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (Labour Agreement stream) — direct permanent residency, subject to the concessions your DAMA region negotiates; compare against the standard 186 visa Direct Entry and TRT streams

RACC's 494 Labour Agreement Stream visa guide covers that pathway in full, including current processing times.

What Are the 13 DAMA Regions in Australia?

The Department of Home Affairs confirms 13 active DAMAs as of July 2026. Each has its own occupation list, concessions, and Designated Area Representative:

Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement, SA — via Skilled & Business Migration SA
South Australia Regional, SA — via Skilled & Business Migration SA (two DAMAs cover SA). See RACC's SA DAMA Occupation List and the SA DAMA 2-year PR pathway update
East Kimberley, WA — via East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Goldfields, WA — via City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
South West, WA — via Shire of Dardanup
Pilbara, WA — via RDA Pilbara
Western Australia (state-wide) — via WA Department of Training and Workforce Development
Far North Queensland, QLD — via Cairns Chamber of Commerce
Townsville, QLD — via Townsville Enterprise Limited
Goulburn Valley, VIC — via Goulburn Valley DAMA
Great South Coast, VIC — via Warrnambool City Council
Northern Territory — via the NT Department of Trade, Business and Innovation. See RACC's NT DAMA Occupation List
Orana, NSW — via Regional Development Australia Orana

RACC already runs a dedicated page on the Western Australia DAMA program, including the South West DAMA occupation list — start there if WA is your target region. For South Australia, see the SA DAMA Occupation List alongside the SA Skilled Occupation List if you're also weighing state nomination. For the Northern Territory, see the NT DAMA Occupation List.

What Concessions Does a DAMA Offer?

Concessions are negotiated per region and per occupation, so nothing below applies universally — always check the specific head agreement before relying on a figure.

Age — many regions raise the cap from the standard 45 years to 50 or 55, most commonly for skill level 1–4 occupations
English language — some occupations accept a lower band than the standard IELTS 6.0 (or PTE/TOEFL equivalent), occasionally down to IELTS 4.5–5.0 overall
Salary (CSIT) — some DAMAs allow pay slightly below the standard Core Skills Income Threshold of AUD 79,423 (effective 1 July 2026), typically 85–90% of the threshold for the relevant occupation
Work experience — reduced from the standard three years to as little as two years for some occupations
Occupation lists — DAMAs include roles not on the standard Skills in Demand or MLTSSL/STSOL lists, including semi-skilled positions in aged care, hospitality, agriculture, and meat processing

Am I Eligible for a DAMA Visa Pathway?

You need all of the following:

A genuine, full-time job offer from an employer holding (or actively applying for) a DAMA labour agreement in an eligible region
An occupation that appears on that specific region's DAMA occupation list
The skills, qualifications, and experience the role requires, including a skills assessment where the occupation calls for one
English language results meeting the visa's standard requirement, or the region's approved concession
Health and character clearances, as with any employer-sponsored visa

Search RACC's Labour Agreement Company List to check whether a prospective employer already holds a DAMA agreement in your target region. Labour market testing sits with the employer, not you — the business must show it tried to recruit an Australian citizen or permanent resident before seeking DAMA endorsement. If your employer already holds accredited sponsor status, your nomination may also receive processing priority.

Book a consultation and RACC's registered migration agents will review your occupation, employer, and target region together.

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How Much Does a DAMA Visa Cost in 2026?

DAMA labour agreements use standard visa application charges — there's no separate DAMA fee. From 1 July 2026:

Subclass 482 (Labour Agreement stream): AUD 4,015 base application charge, plus AUD 4,015 per additional applicant aged 18+ (AUD 1,005 per child). See the full 482 visa cost and fees breakdown for the employer-side SAF levy structure
Subclass 494 (Labour Agreement stream): AUD 6,140 base application charge, plus a one-off Skilling Australians Fund levy of AUD 3,000 (small business) or AUD 5,000 (larger business), paid by the employer
Subclass 186 (Labour Agreement stream): AUD 6,140 base application charge, plus an employer nomination fee of around AUD 330 and the applicable SAF levy

Employers cannot pass the SAF levy or nomination fee on to you, deduct it from wages, or make it a condition of employment. See RACC's 494 visa cost breakdown and 1 July 2026 fee increase guide for the full fee schedule across every skilled visa.

Does the DAMA Endorsement Fee Vary by Region?

Yes. Before any visa application charge applies, the employer must pay the Designated Area Representative (DAR) for endorsement — and this fee is set independently by each DAR, not by the Department of Home Affairs. This sits on top of, not instead of, the standard 482/494/186 visa application charge above. Confirmed fees by region, verified directly against each DAR's website in July 2026:

South Australia (Adelaide City & SA Regional DAMAs) — no endorsement fee
Northern Territory — no endorsement fee
Western Australia (state-wide DAMA) — no endorsement fee
South West, WA — AUD 290 per nomination
Goldfields, WA — AUD 267.50 (incl. GST) per nomination
Pilbara, WA — AUD 350 + GST per position
East Kimberley, WA — AUD 885 (EKCCI members) / AUD 985 (non-members), incl. GST, per position
Far North Queensland, QLD — AUD 885 (Cairns Chamber members) / AUD 985 (non-members), incl. GST, per position
Townsville, QLD — AUD 800–1,800 (members) / AUD 1,100–2,250 (non-members) per position, incl. GST, tiered by employer headcount
Great South Coast, VIC — AUD 850 (turnover under AUD 10m) / AUD 1,000 (turnover over AUD 10m) per worker nominated, ex GST, effective 1 July 2026
Goulburn Valley, VIC — reported at approximately AUD 750 + GST per position; the DAR (Greater Shepparton City Council) publishes the exact figure in its downloadable Request for Endorsement form rather than on the page itself, so confirm the current amount before budgeting
Orana, NSW — AUD 990 excl. GST per position for the first five positions, AUD 550 excl. GST per position after that

Every region's Skilling Australians Fund levy and visa application charge sit on top of this endorsement fee and follow the national rates above.

Can a DAMA Visa Lead to Permanent Residency?

Yes, through two main routes. If you hold a subclass 482 under a DAMA, your employer can nominate you for a subclass 186 under the same labour agreement once you meet the region's experience and salary settings — commonly after two years, shorter than the standard three-year 482 to 186 TRT pathway. If you hold a subclass 494 under a DAMA, you can apply for the subclass 191 after three years living and working in a designated regional area, provided you meet the income threshold.

RACC's 482 visa to permanent residency guide sets out the standard and DAMA-specific 186 pathways side by side.

How Do I Apply for a DAMA Visa Pathway?

Confirm your occupation is on the region's DAMA list. Each DAR publishes its own occupation list — check RACC's skilled occupation list, SA DAMA Occupation List, NT DAMA Occupation List, or the DAR's site directly for other regions.
Secure a genuine job offer from an employer operating in that designated region.
Your employer applies to the DAR for endorsement, showing labour market testing and a genuine operating business in the region.
Your employer lodges the DAMA labour agreement request with the Department of Home Affairs through ImmiAccount, once DAR-endorsed.
Your employer nominates your position, then you lodge your 482, 494, or 186 visa application against that approved nomination.

DAMA vs Standard Skilled Visa: What's the Difference?

A standard subclass 482, 494, or 186 application runs on national settings — the standard age cap of 45, the national TSMIT/CSIT of AUD 79,423, and the standard occupation lists (Skills in Demand list, MLTSSL, STSOL). A DAMA labour agreement can vary all three of those settings for occupations and regions the head agreement covers, but only where the employer holds DAMA endorsement and the occupation is listed. If your occupation and employer don't sit inside an active DAMA, you apply under the standard settings instead — see RACC's Employer Sponsored Visas Australia hub for every standard pathway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DAMA a visa subclass?

No. DAMA is a labour agreement framework. It uses the existing subclass 482, 494, and 186 visa programs, with concessions the region negotiates directly with the Australian Government.

Can I apply for a DAMA visa without a job offer?

No. A DAMA pathway is entirely employer-driven. You need a genuine job offer from a business already endorsed, or actively seeking endorsement, under that region's DAMA.

What is the DAMA age limit?

The standard skilled visa age cap is 45. Several DAMAs raise this to 50 or 55 for specific occupations and skill levels — check the relevant region's head agreement, since the concession isn't universal.

Does DAMA reduce the English language requirement?

For some occupations, yes. Reductions vary by region and role — some accept results as low as IELTS 4.5–5.0 overall where the standard visa requires IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent PTE/TOEFL scores).

Can a DAMA visa lead to permanent residency?

Yes. A 482 DAMA holder can move to a subclass 186 once the region's experience settings are met, and a 494 DAMA holder can apply for the subclass 191 after three years in a designated regional area.

Talk to a Registered Migration Agent About Your DAMA Options

DAMA eligibility depends on the specific region, occupation, and employer — details this guide can only summarise. RACC Migration & Education Services (MARN 1572961, 1172003) reviews your occupation against the current DAMA lists and identifies which regions could work for your circumstances.

Get an assessment specific to your occupation, employer, and target DAMA region.

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