A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a formal arrangement between the Australian Government and a state or territory government, or a regional authority (the Designated Area Representative or DAR), that gives regional employers access to additional migration pathways not available through the standard skilled migration program. DAMAs are designed to address genuine labour shortages in regional areas by providing access to occupations and worker profiles (including semi-skilled workers and those with lower English proficiency) beyond what standard occupation lists allow.

As at 31 March 2026, there are 13 active DAMAs covering regions across Australia, including Northern Territory, South Australia, North West Queensland, Orana (NSW), Great South Coast (Victoria), and others. Each DAMA has its own occupation list and concession schedule negotiated between the Commonwealth and the relevant regional authority.

DAMAs operate as a form of labour agreement under the Migration Regulations 1994. The DAMA itself is a head agreement between the Commonwealth and the DAR. Individual employers within the designated area access the DAMA by obtaining endorsement from the DAR and then entering into a company-specific labour agreement with the Department of Home Affairs that draws on the DAMA's terms. The employer-level agreement gives the employer access to the DAMA's occupation list and concessions for the purposes of nominating workers under the Subclass 482, 494, and 186 visa programs.

The DAMA access process for an employer involves two steps:

Step 1 — DAR endorsement: The employer applies to the Designated Area Representative (the state/territory agency or regional body that administers the DAMA) for endorsement. The DAR assesses whether the employer has a genuine need for overseas workers in the region, has genuinely tested the local labour market, and meets the regional presence requirements. Each DAR has its own endorsement criteria and application form.

Step 2 — Labour agreement with the Department: Once endorsed by the DAR, the employer lodges a labour agreement request online through ImmiAccount with the Department of Home Affairs. The Department reviews the request and, if approved, executes the individual employer labour agreement. The employer can then nominate workers under the DAMA terms.

Key concessions available under DAMAs (varies by individual DAMA):

• Access to occupations not on the MLTSSL or STSOL (including some semi-skilled occupations)
• Lower English proficiency requirements (for example, IELTS 4.5 instead of the standard 5.0 for some occupations)
• Lower minimum salary requirements in some cases
• Access to Subclass 494 for occupations that would not normally qualify under the standard program

Workers sponsored under a DAMA apply for a standard visa subclass (482, 494, or 186) — the DAMA affects the nomination criteria, not the visa class itself.

DAMA endorsement is not automatic — the DAR may refuse or condition endorsement based on whether the employer demonstrates a genuine regional presence and a genuine attempt to fill the role from the local workforce first. Employers must be genuinely operating in the designated area, not using a regional presence as a formality to access DAMA concessions while the work is primarily located in a metropolitan area.

The current list of active DAMAs, including each DAMA's occupation list, region coverage, and DAR contact details, is maintained on the Department of Home Affairs DAMA page. The occupation list and concessions available under each DAMA differ — an occupation accessible under the Northern Territory DAMA may not be available under the Great South Coast DAMA.

Workers sponsored through a DAMA are subject to the same sponsorship obligations as workers sponsored under the standard program — including equivalent terms and conditions of employment, return travel obligations, and record-keeping requirements. Employers who obtain DAMA access but fail to comply with these obligations risk cancellation of their labour agreement.