Last updated: 30 March 2026

DAMA Occupations and Regions: Where Concessions Apply

A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) works differently from a standard skilled visa because both the occupations it covers and the concessions it grants are region-specific. There is no single national DAMA occupation list. Instead, each regional authority negotiates its own schedule with the Australian Government, which means the occupations available in Far North Queensland differ from those in the Northern Territory or the Goldfields of Western Australia.

This page maps the major active DAMA regions, the occupation categories each covers, and the types of concessions available — so you can identify whether a DAMA is a relevant option for your specific occupation and location. For a broader introduction to how DAMAs work, see the DAMA visa overview.

How DAMA Occupation Lists Work

Each DAMA agreement contains a schedule that lists every occupation eligible for sponsorship under that agreement. The schedule also specifies, occupation by occupation, which concessions apply. This is an important detail: a DAMA might include your occupation but offer no salary concession for it, or it might include an English concession for some roles but not others.

The occupation schedule is negotiated based on documented labour market evidence — the regional authority has to demonstrate to the Department of Home Affairs that there is a genuine shortage for the listed occupations in that region, at the prevailing local wage level, and that the occupation cannot realistically be filled from the domestic workforce. This means DAMA lists tend to reflect occupations where the regional labour market is structurally different from the national average.

Three concession types appear across DAMA agreements in various combinations:

English concession — the threshold for English proficiency is reduced below the standard competent level. The standard subclass 482 TSS visa requires an IELTS equivalent score of 5.0 in each band (Competent). A DAMA English concession may reduce this to 4.5 in each band for specified occupations. This concession is most common in hospitality, food processing, agriculture, and some trade categories where the communication demands of the role are narrower than a professional service occupation.

Salary concession — the floor for the worker’s annual earnings is set below the national Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), currently AUD 73,150. A salary concession does not mean an employer can pay whatever they choose — it means the agreed floor under the labour agreement can be set at a level reflecting genuine regional market conditions for that occupation. For example, a cook in a regional Queensland town may not command the same market rate as the same role in Sydney, and the DAMA salary concession reflects that reality.

Age concession — some DAMA agreements allow workers over 45 — and in some cases up to 50 or 55 — to be nominated for the subclass 186 permanent residence pathway through the Labour Agreement stream. Under the standard framework, the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream requires the applicant to be under 45 at the time of lodgement. The DAMA age concession creates a permanent residency in Australia route for older workers who are excluded from the standard employer-sponsored PR pathway.

Northern Territory DAMA

The NT DAMA is one of the most expansive agreements in the country. It covers the entire Northern Territory and includes over 110 occupations across a wide range of industry sectors.

Geographic coverage: All of the Northern Territory, including Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, and surrounding remote areas.

Occupation categories:

• Hospitality and food services: Cooks, chefs, cafe and restaurant managers, bar attendants, accommodation managers, kitchen hands (for some sub-roles with specific concessions)
• Construction and trades: Bricklayers, carpenters, joiners, electricians, plumbers, painters, tilers, concreters, plant operators
• Transport and logistics: Truck drivers, delivery drivers, forklift operators, road transport supervisors
• Agriculture and horticulture: Farm workers in supervisory roles, agricultural technicians, aquaculture workers
• Retail and wholesale: Shop managers, retail supervisors
• Healthcare (selected roles): Some occupational therapy, nursing, and aged care roles in regional and remote settings
• Business and professional: Accountants, ICT workers, and business services roles for employers in Darwin and regional NT

Concessions available: The NT DAMA is notable for offering all three concession types — English, salary, and age — though not every occupation receives all three. The age concession (extended to 50 for most occupations, to 55 for a subset) is particularly significant given Darwin’s economy attracts workers later in their careers who have accumulated strong trade or hospitality experience.

The NT Government is the designated endorsing authority. Employers must be based in the NT and demonstrate genuine recruitment efforts before receiving endorsement.

Adelaide Technology and Innovation DAMA

This agreement covers metropolitan Adelaide and selected surrounding areas of South Australia, with a focus on professional and technology-sector occupations.

Geographic coverage: Greater Adelaide metropolitan area and adjoining councils in South Australia.

Occupation categories:

• Information and communications technology: Software engineers, developers, cybersecurity analysts, network engineers, ICT project managers, systems architects
• Engineering: Electrical engineers, electronics engineers, industrial engineers, engineering managers
• Professional services: Management consultants, marketing specialists, human resource professionals
• Science and research: Research scientists and laboratory managers in defence and advanced manufacturing sectors

Concessions available: The Adelaide Technology and Innovation DAMA primarily offers English concessions for specific occupations where the employer can demonstrate the communication requirements of the role are met at a lower test threshold. Salary concessions are less commonly applied here given the professional nature of the occupations. Age concessions are available for some occupations.

This DAMA reflects Adelaide’s growth as a defence and technology hub and was designed to complement the national skilled occupation lists rather than to substitute for them — it tends to be used where workers narrowly miss the standard English threshold rather than where the occupation is entirely absent from federal lists.

South Australia Regional DAMA

Separate from the Adelaide metropolitan agreement, South Australia’s regional DAMA covers areas outside Greater Adelaide and targets a different set of occupations more aligned with trade, agriculture, and hospitality.

Geographic coverage: Regional South Australia excluding Greater Adelaide — including areas such as the Barossa Valley, Eyre Peninsula, Riverland, Flinders Ranges, and South Australia’s regional coastal areas.

Occupation categories:

• Hospitality and accommodation: Cooks, chefs, hotel and motel managers, event managers
• Agriculture: Agricultural technicians, farm supervisors, viticulture workers in supervisory roles
• Trades: Bricklayers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters — particularly for regional construction and maintenance
• Healthcare: Some nursing and allied health occupations for regional and country health services
• Community services: Social workers and community service workers for regional programmes

Concessions available: The SA Regional DAMA offers English and salary concessions more broadly than the Adelaide metropolitan agreement, reflecting the lower wage structures and communication requirements of regional industry. Age concessions are available for selected occupations where older workers fill persistent regional shortages.

Orana DAMA (New South Wales)

The Orana region encompasses central-western New South Wales, and its DAMA was established to address chronic workforce gaps in agriculture, healthcare, and trades in an area that is some distance from major labour markets.

Geographic coverage: The Orana region of New South Wales, including Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst, Mudgee, Parkes, Forbes, and surrounding local government areas.

Occupation categories:

• Agriculture and food production: Farm supervisors, agricultural technicians, livestock workers in supervisory roles, food and beverage factory workers in supervisory positions
• Healthcare: Registered nurses, general practitioners, physiotherapists, and medical imaging professionals for regional health services in Dubbo and surrounding towns
• Trades and construction: Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics, and refrigeration/air conditioning mechanics
• Transport: Heavy vehicle drivers and transport supervisors for agricultural supply chains

Concessions available: Orana offers English and salary concessions for most occupations, reflecting the regional market reality. The age concession is available for selected healthcare and trade occupations where the shortage is acute and long-running.

Orana DAMA is managed through the Regional Development Australia Orana committee as the endorsing authority. Employers must be operating within the defined Orana local government boundaries.

Great South Coast DAMA (Victoria)

The Great South Coast DAMA covers a stretch of south-west Victoria with an economy driven by agriculture, food processing, and dairy — industries that face consistent difficulty attracting and retaining workers through standard migration channels.

Geographic coverage: South-west Victoria including Warrnambool, Corangamite, Glenelg, Moyne, Southern Grampians, and Surf Coast local government areas.

Occupation categories:

• Agriculture and food processing: Meat processing workers in supervisory roles, dairy farm supervisors, fruit and vegetable pickers in supervisory positions, food and beverage factory process workers (senior positions)
• Healthcare: Registered nurses, aged care workers in senior roles, physiotherapists, and general practitioners for rural health clinics
• Trades: Electricians, refrigeration mechanics (important for food storage infrastructure), automotive mechanics, and plumbers
• Hospitality: Cooks and accommodation managers in regional tourism contexts
• Education: Teachers for early childhood and primary levels in towns with persistent shortages

Concessions available: Great South Coast focuses heavily on English and salary concessions, particularly for food processing and agriculture occupations where the TSMIT is a genuine barrier at market rates. Age concessions are available for healthcare and select trade occupations.

The endorsing authority is the Great South Coast Group, a regional economic development entity operating across the covered local government areas.

Far North Queensland DAMA

Far North Queensland’s DAMA covers one of Australia’s most economically distinct regions — heavily reliant on tourism, agriculture, and healthcare — with a labour market that is partially isolated from southern capital city pools.

Geographic coverage: Cairns Regional Council, Tablelands Regional Council, Cook Shire Council, and Cassowary Coast Regional Council.

Occupation categories:

• Tourism and hospitality: Hotel and motel managers, front office managers, cooks, chefs, tour operators and guides in management roles, accommodation supervisors
• Healthcare: Registered nurses, general practitioners, allied health workers including occupational therapists and podiatrists, aged care supervisors for the growing regional aged population
• Agriculture: Banana and sugar cane farm supervisors, agricultural technicians, aquaculture workers
• Transport: Seafarers and maritime workers supporting Great Barrier Reef and coastal logistics operations, heavy vehicle drivers
• Retail and community services: Retail supervisors and community services workers for Indigenous community programmes

Concessions available: All three concession types are available in Far North Queensland. English concessions are particularly relevant for hospitality and agriculture roles. Salary concessions apply to a range of hospitality and agricultural occupations. The age concession is available for healthcare occupations where older experienced practitioners fill critical regional shortages.

Cairns Regional Council and the relevant North Queensland body act as endorsing authorities depending on the specific local government area.

Goldfields-Esperance DAMA (Western Australia)

The Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia has an economy shaped by gold mining, nickel mining, and the agricultural operations of the southern WA wheatbelt. Its DAMA targets occupations that service the mining sector and provide essential regional services.

Geographic coverage: Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia including Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Esperance, and surrounding shires.

Occupation categories:

• Trades and mining services: Electricians, diesel mechanics, heavy vehicle mechanics, boilermakers, riggers, crane operators, and construction trades supporting mining infrastructure
• Transport: Heavy vehicle drivers, machinery operators, and logistics supervisors
• Healthcare: Registered nurses, general practitioners, and allied health professionals for Kalgoorlie and regional health services
• Hospitality: Cooks and accommodation managers serving the mining workforce and regional tourism
• Agriculture: Farm supervisors and agricultural technicians for the southern WA agricultural sector

Concessions available: Goldfields-Esperance primarily offers English and salary concessions. The mining industry context means salary concessions are applied carefully — some mining-adjacent trade roles pay well above TSMIT, so the concession is most relevant for service-industry occupations supporting the mining workforce. Age concessions are available for healthcare and selected trade occupations.

The Goldfields-Esperance Regional Executive is the endorsing authority.

How Concessions Are Assigned to Occupations

It is worth being precise about how the concession system works within a DAMA, because a common misunderstanding is that all occupations in a DAMA automatically receive all available concessions.

The occupation schedule in each DAMA agreement is structured as a table. Each row represents an occupation (identified by ANZSCO code), and columns indicate which concessions are available for that specific occupation in that specific region. The result is that two occupations in the same DAMA may have very different concession profiles.

For example, within a single DAMA:

• A cook might receive English and salary concessions but no age concession
• A registered nurse might receive no English concession (because clinical registration already requires English proficiency) but might have an age concession to allow nomination under the 186 stream above age 45
• An electrician might receive salary and age concessions but not an English concession

When you review a DAMA for your occupation, the relevant question is not just “is my occupation listed?” but “what concessions apply to my occupation, and do those concessions solve my specific eligibility problem?”

Matching Your Situation to the Right Region

The DAMA framework is designed to solve specific eligibility problems, not to provide an alternative migration route for everyone. Use the following framework to determine whether a DAMA is the right option for you.

Your occupation is not on the STSOL or MLTSSL. Check each DAMA’s occupation schedule. If your occupation appears in a DAMA region and you have a genuine employer in that area, this may be your primary access point to an employer-sponsored visa.

You cannot meet the TSMIT. If your employer is offering a salary that reflects genuine regional market conditions but falls below the national threshold, a salary concession in the relevant DAMA resolves this. Confirm the occupation has a salary concession in the specific agreement.

Your English test scores are below the standard threshold. If you can achieve IELTS 4.5 in each band but not 5.0, check whether your occupation in the relevant DAMA has an English concession. This is most common for hospitality, agriculture, and some trade roles.

You are over 45 and need a PR pathway. The standard subclass 482 TSS visa does not prevent over-45s from getting a 482, but the standard subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream requires you to be under 45 at lodgement. If the DAMA for your region includes an age concession for your occupation, this creates a permanent residency in Australia route that the standard framework does not offer.

If none of these conditions apply — if your occupation is on the standard lists, your English meets the threshold, your salary is above TSMIT, and you are under 45 — a standard 482 or 186 process will be more straightforward and faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all DAMA occupation lists the same across regions?

No. Every DAMA region negotiates its own occupation schedule independently. An occupation that appears in the Northern Territory DAMA may not appear in the Great South Coast or Orana agreements. Before assuming your occupation qualifies, look up the specific list published for the region where your employer operates. The Department of Home Affairs website publishes individual DAMA agreements, and each regional authority typically maintains a copy on their own website.

What concessions does DAMA actually provide?

The three most common concession types are a reduced English test threshold (for example, IELTS 4.5 rather than 5.0 in each band), a salary floor set below the national Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold, and an extended upper age limit for the subclass 186 permanent residence pathway. Not every occupation in a DAMA receives all three — the occupation schedule for each region specifies which concessions apply to which roles.

Can any employer in a DAMA region sponsor through DAMA?

Not automatically. The employer must be located and genuinely operating within the designated geographic area covered by the DAMA. They also need to apply for endorsement from the designated regional authority and then enter an individual labour agreement with the Department of Home Affairs. Only after that agreement is executed can the employer nominate a worker through the DAMA framework.

What to Do Next

If you have identified a DAMA region where your employer operates and your occupation appears on the relevant schedule, the practical next step is to work through the concession profile for your specific occupation — confirming which concessions apply and whether they solve your particular eligibility gap.

The DAMA visa overview explains the full application process from regional authority endorsement through to visa grant. For a direct comparison of the DAMA pathway against a standard 482, the detail is in our dedicated DAMA vs 482 comparison.

If you want support identifying which DAMA applies to your employer’s location and checking your occupation against the current schedule, we can work through that with you.