Introduction
DAMA stands for Designated Area Migration Agreement, which is a special visa program that allows employers in certain regional areas of Australia to sponsor skilled overseas workers for certain positions that they can’t fill locally.
Northen Territory has released the third iteration of DAMA III, expecting to boost the economic growth of regional areas by encouraging skilled workers to come and live there. From 19 March 2025 till 30 June 2030, businesses in Northen Territory can have much easier pathway to attach more overseas workers.
Keys Updates in Northern Territory DAMA III
- Occupation List Expansion: The occupations list now include 325, a signification increase from previous 135. These span key various areas such as agribusiness, hospitality, healthcare, construction. The NT Government will release the list soon.
- Visa quota: The annual nomination place will also increase more than double, from 625 places to 1,500 places
- Permanent Residency Pathways: Eligible overseas workers now have streamlined routes to permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa
Transitions from DAMA II to DAMA III
- The online system will be open for new endorsement applications by 31 March 2025 once the NT DAMA III program is operational
- NT businesses with existing labour agreements under NT DAMA II by 13 December 2024 can continue to lodge labour agreement requests and nomination applications with the Department of Home Affairs. These requests and applications will continue to be assessed.
Why DAMA programs provide an easier pathway to PR?
In order to attract skilled and semi skilled workers to Northen Territory, DAMA programs offer a number of special concessions for the applicants:
- Lower English language requirements for some roles: The eligible applicants only need IELTS 5.0 overall with no band score under 4.0. Some lower-level occupations may even be eligible with overall IELTS 4.5 only.
- Lower salary thresholds:
- Under DAMA scheme, the salary requirement can be 10%-15% lower compared to the Skilled in Demand Visa’ requirements.
- More flexible age limits: Can apply for PR even if over 45 in some cases
- Some occupations don’t need formal qualifications if you have enough experience
What NT DAMA III means for international students and workers?
- DAMA III provides more chances for international students to stay in Australia under employer sponsorship pathway. Nomination places are increased to 1,500 per year and the occupation list will be expanded, providing higher chance being nominated.
- The visa requirement is more flexible compared to standard employer sponsor visa (Visa 482), so overseas workers can easier fulfill it.
Wish to know more information about DAMA III? And need help with the application process? Contact SOL Migration today at hello@solmigration.com.