DAMA · Northern Territory · Established 2019 (NT was an early DAMA holder – agreement now in its renewed form)
Northern Territory Designated Area Migration Agreement
The Northern Territory DAMA is territory-wide and covers more than 100 occupations across hospitality, care, trades, defence and Indigenous services. It is one of the highest-volume DAMAs in Australia.
★Key takeaways
- ✓Northern Territory DAMA was established 2019 (NT was an early DAMA holder – agreement now in its renewed form) and is administered by NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Skilled Migration NT).
- ✓Occupation list includes 10+ roles with TSMIT and English concessions not available on standard 482 Core stream.
- ✓Employer geographic trigger: Employer must be located in the Northern Territory (territory-wide coverage)
- ✓PR pathway: 186 Direct Entry stream under the Labour Agreement pathway after 3 years on the 482.
- ✓Cite all DAMA pathway numbers against NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Skilled Migration NT)’s current published occupation list – concessions and occupations are reviewed periodically.
At a glance
Agreement holder
NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Skilled Migration NT)
Geographic trigger
Employer must be located in the Northern Territory (territory-wide coverage)
PR pathway
186 Direct Entry stream under the Labour Agreement pathway after 3 years on the 482
Occupations covered
10+ across mining, trades, hospitality, care and professional services
Top concession occupations
10 representative occupations
A sample of the 10+ occupations on the Northern Territory DAMA. The full current list is published by the agreement holder and is reviewed periodically.
Source: NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Skilled Migration NT) DAMA occupation list →
Concessions summary
What the DAMA actually changes
| Concession | Northern Territory DAMA |
|---|---|
| TSMIT | Up to 10% concession on TSMIT for selected occupations |
| English | IELTS 5.0 each band; 4.5 each band for selected semi-skilled occupations |
| Age (PR pathway) | PR pathway: age cap raised to 55 for selected occupations |
| Work experience and skills | Reduced work experience to 2 years for most semi-skilled occupations |
Concessions are set out in the agreement between the Commonwealth and the agreement holder and can change at agreement renewal. Always confirm against the current published agreement.
In depth
How the Northern Territory DAMA actually works
The NT has a population of around 250,000 and a labour market that has structurally relied on overseas workers since the 1970s. Defence (RAAF Base Darwin, Tindal), tourism (Uluru, Kakadu, Darwin), mining and the Indigenous service economy all create demand for skilled and semi-skilled workers beyond what local supply can provide.
The NT DAMA is one of the highest-volume agreements in Australia. The occupation list (100+) is broad and includes some unusual entries – Indigenous arts coordinator, ranger / Indigenous land management worker, remote-area community services worker – alongside the standard hospitality, care, trades and engineering occupations.
PR pathway is via 186 Labour Agreement after 3 years. The NT also runs an aggressive 491 state-nomination program in parallel, which can be a faster option for points-tested skilled workers who do not need the DAMA concessions.
Employer obligations
- Employer must be located within the agreement region (see geographic trigger above).
- Obtain agreement holder endorsement before lodging a Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) application with Home Affairs.
- Demonstrate local labour market testing (LMT) was carried out and a local hire was not available.
- Pay the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy on nomination: $1,200/year (small business under $10m turnover) or $1,800/year (larger employers).
- Pay at or above the agreement’s salary floor (cannot use DAMA concession to push salary below the agreement minimum).
- Do not recover any sponsorship or migration agent costs from the worker (this is a strict sponsor obligation).
Agreement holder contact
NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Skilled Migration NT)
Common questions
Northern Territory DAMA – common questions
Is the NT DAMA the easiest DAMA to use?
It has the broadest occupation list and territory-wide coverage, which makes it easier to fit a sponsorship into. Whether it is "easier" depends on the specific occupation and the employer’s size – NT employers are typically smaller than their southern counterparts and the SBS application can take longer.
Does the NT DAMA cover Alice Springs as well as Darwin?
Yes. NT-wide coverage means Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and remote NT are all in. Many NT DAMA sponsorships are for Alice Springs hospitality and care occupations.
Can a person on a 491 transition to the NT DAMA?
In principle yes – they can apply for a fresh 482 under the DAMA if a sponsoring NT employer nominates them. But most 491 holders are working toward 191 PR via the regional residence pathway, which is faster than starting a fresh 482 → 186 cycle.
How many people migrate via the NT DAMA each year?
Around 1,500–2,000 primary applications per year as at recent reporting. Numbers fluctuate with labour market conditions and the NT’s annual allocation negotiations with Home Affairs.
Other DAMA regions