Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) NT

The Northern Territory Designated Area Migration Agreement (NT DAMA) allows NT employers to sponsor skilled overseas workers in occupations facing a lack of qualified local talent.

It benefits both NT businesses and overseas workers in that:

Local businesses can take quick action to fill critical positions that are difficult to staff with local resources alone.

Qualified overseas workers have an alternative way to stay and find work in Australia and potentially get permanent residency in Australia later on.

Read further to know more about the DAMA NT, including the list of eligible occupations in this program, employer requirements and how to apply for endorsement.

LATEST UPDATES:

As of writing, these are the latest news regarding NT DAMA:

There are now a total of 135 eligible occupations in the NT DAMA Occupation List.

The Reduced Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) is now at AUD 55,000 for selected occupations.

Overseas workers have a more streamlined pathway toward permanent residency via the 186 visa, provided they’ve worked in an eligible NT occupation for at least 2 years.

DAMA NT Overview

The Northern Territory DAMA stands as a tailored solution to address specific labour market shortages in NT by allowing local employers to sponsor overseas workers for positions that cannot be filled locally.

Businesses can sponsor overseas workers through the labour stream of the following skilled migration visas:

Subclass 482 – Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa

This is a temporary visa that allows skilled workers to stay up to 4 years.

Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa or SESR visa

This temporary visa allows skilled workers to stay up to 5 years, with a pathway to permanent residency (via the 191 visa) after 3 years.

Subclass 186 – Permanent Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa

This allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia indefinitely.

Note: Under the NT DAMA program, individual workers cannot apply for a visa independently. They must first be nominated by an NT-based employer.

Available Concessions for NT DAMA

Compared to standard skilled visa programs, DAMAs make it easier for local businesses to access overseas workers and address urgent and critical labour shortages through the concessions below.

Note: Not all occupations are eligible for concessions. Check the NT DAMA Occupation List to see specific concessions that apply.

Age Concessions

Under the NT DAMA, employers can nominate applicants over 45 but under 55 years old.

Compared to the standard ENS and SESR visas which require applicants to be under 45 years old to be eligible, this concession allows for a bigger threshold.

Additional Occupations Not in ANZSCO

The NT DAMA allows businesses to source overseas workers in critical occupations not listed in the Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupation (ANZSCO). For instance:

waiter (supervisor)
aquaculture supervisor
cook (specialist ethnic cuisine)
skilled horticultural worker
bar attendant (supervisor)
high access maintenance and cleaning technician

Prospective workers will have to show that they have sufficient skills, experience and qualifications for these roles.

English Language Concessions

This concession may allow for skilled workers with English proficiency below the level typically required for general skilled migration visas.

Note that this applies only to some of the occupations in the NT DAMA occupation list. Specifics of the concession are as follows:

Category	Concession
Category	TSS/SESR	ENS
Occupations other than engineers	Overall score of IELTS 4.5 (or equivalent) Minimum IELTS score of 4.0 (or equivalent) in each band	Overall score of IELTS 5.0 (or equivalent) Minimum IELTS score of 4.0 (or equivalent) in each band
Aircraft maintenance engineer (avionics and mechanical) and Ship’s engineer	Overall score of IELTS 5.0 (or equivalent) No minimum score for reading and writing At least an IELTS score of 4.0 (or equivalent) in speaking and listening bands	Overall score of IELTS 5.0 (or equivalent) At least an IELTS score of 4.5 (or equivalent) in each band

Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) Concessions

If an occupation is eligible for this concession (based on the list of occupations), sponsoring employers may pay a skilled worker a reduced TSMIT of AUD 55,000 instead of the standard TSMIT (currently AUD 70,000).

The flowchart below simplifies how the concession works:

NT DAMA Occupation List

Below is the Northern Territory DAMA occupation list, showing the eligible occupations for the program, as well as the concessions that apply to each one.

Tip: Access the last column for specific requirements for each occupation.

This occupation list is reviewed and updated annually by agreement between the NT Government and the Australian Government.

Item	ANZSCO or 6 Digit Code	Occupation	Skill Level	English concession	TSMIT (market salary threshold) concession	Age Concession	Employee skills & age requirement
1	551111	Accounts Clerk	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
2	231111	Aeroplane Pilot	1	No	No	Yes	A
3	423111	Aged or Disabled Carer	4	No	Yes	Yes	I
4	721111	Agricultural and Horticultural Mobile Plant Operator	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
5	342111	Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
6	323111	Aircraft Maintenance Engineer – Avionics	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
7	323112	Aircraft Maintenance Engineer – Mechanical	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
8	121311	Apiarist	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	A
9	121111	Aquaculture Farmer	1	Yes	No	Yes	A
10	70499	Aquaculture Supervisor	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
11	841111	Aquaculture Worker	5	Yes	Yes	No	J
12	362212	Arborist	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
13	321111	Automotive Electrician	3	Yes	No	Yes	D
14	351111	Baker	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	D
15	70499	Bar Attendant Supervisor	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
16	431112	Barista	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
17	451111	Beauty Therapist	3	No	Yes	Yes	G
18	121312	Beef Cattle Farmer	1	Yes	No	Yes	A
19	551211	Bookkeeper	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	G
20	731211	Bus Driver	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
21	342311	Business Machine Mechanic	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
22	351211	Butcher or Smallgoods Maker	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	C
23	394111	Cabinetmaker	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	D
24	141111	Café or Restaurant Manager	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
25	331212	Carpenter	3	Yes	No	Yes	D
26	351311	Chef	2	Yes	Yes	Yes	B
27	134111	Child Care Centre Manager	1	No	No	Yes	A
28	421111	Child Care Group Leader	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
29	421111	Child Care Worker	3	No	Yes	Yes	G
30	411711	Community Worker	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
31	149311	Conference and Event Organiser	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
32	351411	Cook	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	D
33	70499	Cook (Specialist Ethnic Cuisine)	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	G
34	841299	Crop Farm Workers nec	5	Yes	Yes	No	J
35	442213	Crowd Controller	4	No	No	Yes	H
36	149212	Customer Service Manager	2	No	No	Yes	B
37	899211	Deck Hand	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
38	423211	Dental Assistant	4	No	Yes	Yes	H
39	321212	Diesel Motor Mechanic	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	D
40	411712	Disabilities Services Officer	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
41	399911	Diver	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	C
42	712211	Driller	4	Yes	No	Yes	H
43	451211	Driving Instructor	3	No	No	Yes	C
44	241111	Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher	1	No	No	Yes	A
45	721211	Earthmoving Plant Operator (General)	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
46	342211	Electrical Linesworker	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
47	721214	Excavator Operator	4	Yes	No	Yes	H
48	421112	Family Day Care Worker	4	No	Yes	Yes	I
49	411713	Family Support Worker	2	No	No	Yes	B
50	899212	Fishing Hand	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
51	323211	Fitter (General)	3	Yes	No	Yes	D
52	323212	Fitter and Turner	3	Yes	No	Yes	D
53	323213	Fitter-Welder	3	Yes	No	Yes	D
54	332111	Floor Finisher	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	C
55	721311	Forklift Driver	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
56	841211	Fruit or Nut Farm Worker	5	Yes	Yes	No	J
57	431311	Gaming Worker	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
58	531111	General Clerk	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
59	391111	Hairdresser	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	C
60	70499	High Access Maintenance and Cleaning Technician	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
61	141311	Hotel or Motel Manager	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
62	542113	Hotel or Motel Receptionist	4	No	Yes	Yes	H
63	431411	Hotel Service Manager	2	Yes	Yes	Yes	B
64	313112	ICT Customer Support Officer	2	Yes	No	Yes	B
65	313199	ICT Support Technicians nec	2	Yes	No	Yes	B
66	272412	Interpreter	1	No	No	Yes	A
67	362711	Landscape Gardener	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	C
68	141411	Licensed Club Manager	2	No	No	Yes	B
69	721912	Linemarker	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
70	221112	Management Accountant	1	No	No	Yes	A
71	225113	Marketing Specialist	1	No	Yes	Yes	A
72	411611	Massage Therapist (remedial only)	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
73	231211	Master Fisher	2	Yes	Yes	Yes	B
74	831211	Meat Boner and Slicer	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	K
75	322311	Metal Fabricator	3	Yes	No	Yes	D
76	241311	Middle School Teacher	1	No	No	Yes	A
77	841611	Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Worker	5	Yes	Yes	No	J
78	121411	Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmer	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	A
79	841513	Mixed Livestock Farm Worker	5	Yes	Yes	No	J
80	321211	Motor Mechanic (General)	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	D
81	621311	Motor Vehicle or Caravan Salesperson	4	No	Yes	Yes	H
82	899411	Motor Vehicle Parts and Accessories Fitter (General)	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
83	621312	Motor Vehicle Parts Interpreter	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
84	362411	Nurseryperson	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	C
85	423312	Nursing Support Worker	4	No	Yes	Yes	I
86	251312	Occupational Health and Safety Advisor	1	No	No	Yes	A
87	512111	Office Manager	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
88	421114	Out of School Hours Care Worker	3	No	Yes	Yes	G
89	324111	Panelbeater	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	D
90	411714	Parole or Probation Officer	2	No	No	Yes	F
91	351112	Pastrycook	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	D
92	423313	Personal Care Assistant	4	No	Yes	Yes	I
93	311215	Pharmacy Technician	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
94	334111	Plumber (General)	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
95	322312	Pressure Welder	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
96	241213	Primary School Teacher	1	No	No	Yes	A
97	442111	Prison Officer	4	No	No	Yes	H
98	511112	Program or Project Administrator	2	No	No	Yes	B
99	612112	Property Manager	3	No	No	Yes	C
100	254421	Registered Nurse (Medical Practice)	1	No	No	Yes	A
101	254499	Registered Nurse nec	1	No	No	Yes	A
102	411715	Residential Care Officer	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
103	142111	Retail Manager (General)	2	No	Yes	Yes	B
104	621511	Retail Supervisor	4	No	Yes	Yes	H
105	131112	Sales and Marketing Manager	1	No	No	Yes	A
106	831313	Seafood Process Worker	5	Yes	Yes	No	J
107	241411	Secondary School Teacher	1	No	No	Yes	A
108	322211	Sheetmetal Trades Worker	3	Yes	No	Yes	D
109	231212	Ship’s Engineer	2	Yes	No	Yes	B
110	231213	Ship’s Master	1	No	No	Yes	A
111	70499	Skilled Horticultural Worker	4	Yes	No	Yes	H
112	831212	Slaughterer	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	K
113	321214	Small Engine Mechanic	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
114	261313	Software Engineer	1	No	No	Yes	A
115	399516	Sound Technician	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
116	241599	Special Education Teachers nec	1	No	No	Yes	A
117	241511	Special Needs Teacher	1	No	No	Yes	A
118	741111	Storeperson	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
119	133611	Supply and Distribution Manager	1	No	No	Yes	A
120	342412	Telecommunications Cable Jointer	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
121	342413	Telecommunications Linesworker	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
122	342414	Telecommunications Technician	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
123	423314	Therapy Aide	4	No	Yes	Yes	I
124	451412	Tour Guide	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	G
125	733111	Truck Driver (General)	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
126	841214	Vegetable Farm Worker	5	Yes	Yes	No	J
127	121616	Vegetable Grower	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	A
128	324311	Vehicle Painter	3	Yes	No	Yes	C
129	361311	Veterinary Nurse	3	No	Yes	Yes	C
130	70499	Waiter Supervisor	4	Yes	Yes	Yes	H
131	313113	Web Administrator	2	Yes	No	Yes	B
132	232414	Web Designer	1	No	Yes	Yes	A
133	322313	Welder (First Class)	3	Yes	No	Yes	D
134	272613	Welfare Worker	1	No	No	Yes	A
135	411716	Youth Worker	2	No	Yes	Yes	B

In some cases, applicants will have to obtain a positive skills assessment to qualify for the NT DAMA program.

Employer Requirements for NT DAMA Program Eligibility

To be eligible for the NT DAMA program, employers must:

Be viable and have been actively operating in the Northern Territory for at least 12 months

Not have a history of failing to meet employee obligations

Be looking to employ overseas workers in full-time positions aligned with those in the NT DAMA occupation list

Show proof that they’ve tried to fill the positions with Australian citizens or permanent residents without success

Be able to offer work terms and conditions comparable to those offered to local workers in the region

Receive endorsement from the Northern Territory migration authority and enter into a 5-year labour agreement with the Department of Home Affairs.

This agreement will specify the number of overseas workers the company can nominate each year for specific occupations, as well as any concessions they might be eligible for.

How to Apply for the NT DAMA

Below are the steps to apply for the NT Dama:

Submit an online application for endorsement to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade.

Lodge a labour agreement request via ImmiAccount.

Identify a skilled overseas worker who possesses the skills and experience necessary for the NT DAMA occupation.

Submit a nomination application to the Australian government for the overseas worker you’ll be employing via ImmiAccount.

Coordinate with your worker as they apply for their visa.

Seek assistance from a registered migration agent for any specific questions or concerns related to your circumstances.

NT Dama Requirements for Overseas Workers

For overseas workers to be eligible for work sponsorship, they must meet criteria specific to their occupation category and the visa being sponsored.

Access the NT DAMA list of occupations above and click the occupation categories (i.e. categories A to K) at the last column for detailed information on the eligibility criteria for workers.

DAMA Australia: Other Regions and Locations

Currently, 12 DAMAs exist in Australia:

Region, location or shire	Designated Area Representative (DAR)
Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement, SA	Skilled & Business Migration
East Kimberley, WA	East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Far North Queensland, QLD	Cairns Chamber of Commerce,
Goulburn Valley, VIC	Goulburn Valley
Great South Coast, VIC	Warrnambool City Council
Northern Territory, NT	Northern Territory Designated Area Migration Agreement
Orana, NSW	Regional Development Australia – Orana, NSW
Pilbara, WA	RDA Pilbara
South Australia Regional, SA	Skilled & Business Migration
South West, WA	Shire of Dardanup
The Goldfields, WA	City of Kalgoorlie Boulder
Townsville, QLD	Townsville Enterprise Limited

Need Assistance to Apply for the NT DAMA?

Avoid overlooking details and missing requirements by working with our experienced migration agents at KBA Global.

With our 10+ years of service, we’re happy to give you practical advice and help sort your paperwork to make the application process as smooth as possible for you.

Book a free consultation and talk with our agent today!

Disclaimer: The above information is a general guide and not professional immigration advice. Be aware that immigration laws and regulations can change swiftly, potentially rendering some or all of the information outdated. Thus, before using the information above, we recommend checking the current laws through assistance from a migration agent or the Department of Home Affairs website.

Northern Territory Designated Area Migration Agreement (NT DAMA): Guide for Employers and Workers

DAMA NT Overview

Available Concessions for NT DAMA

Age Concessions

Additional Occupations Not in ANZSCO

English Language Concessions

Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) Concessions

NT DAMA Occupation List

Employer Requirements for NT DAMA Program Eligibility

How to Apply for the NT DAMA

NT Dama Requirements for Overseas Workers

DAMA Australia: Other Regions and Locations

Need Assistance to Apply for the NT DAMA?

Offices

Sydney Office – Head Office

Darwin Office

Hobart Office

Perth Office

Melbourne Office

Cagayan de Oro Office

Tuguegarao Office

Kathmandu Office

Butwal Office

Chitwan Office

Nigeria Office