DAMA · Western Australia · Established 2019 (renewed 2024)
Pilbara Designated Area Migration Agreement
The Pilbara DAMA covers Australia’s largest iron-ore-producing region: the City of Karratha, Town of Port Hedland and surrounds. The agreement targets the mining workforce gap and the chronic shortage of childcare, hospitality and senior care workers needed to keep mining communities running.
★Key takeaways
- ✓Pilbara DAMA was established 2019 (renewed 2024) and is administered by Regional Development Australia Pilbara.
- ✓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 City of Karratha, Town of Port Hedland, Shire of Ashburton or Shire of East Pilbara
- ✓PR pathway: 186 Direct Entry stream under the Labour Agreement pathway after 3 years on the 482.
- ✓Cite all DAMA pathway numbers against Regional Development Australia Pilbara’s current published occupation list – concessions and occupations are reviewed periodically.
At a glance
Agreement holder
Regional Development Australia Pilbara
Geographic trigger
Employer must be located in the City of Karratha, Town of Port Hedland, Shire of Ashburton or Shire of East Pilbara
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 Pilbara DAMA. The full current list is published by the agreement holder and is reviewed periodically.
Source: Regional Development Australia Pilbara DAMA occupation list →
Concessions summary
What the DAMA actually changes
| Concession | Pilbara DAMA |
|---|---|
| TSMIT | Up to 10% concession on TSMIT for selected occupations, with floor at $66,000 |
| English | IELTS 5.0 each band for most occupations; semi-skilled occupations IELTS 4.5 each band |
| Age (PR pathway) | PR pathway: age cap raised to 55 for selected occupations |
| Work experience and skills | Reduced work experience to 2 years for many trades and mining 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 Pilbara DAMA actually works
The Pilbara produces the bulk of Australia’s iron ore exports and supports a transient workforce of 60,000+ across Rio Tinto, BHP, FMG and related contractors. Local population (mainly Karratha and Port Hedland) is only around 60,000 permanent residents, so the labour gap is severe. The Pilbara DAMA gives local employers a structured way to sponsor workers in 70+ occupations.
Mining engineering, geological and survey occupations dominate the engineering side of the list. Trades – heavy diesel mechanic, plant mechanic, boilermaker – are heavily used because the FIFO contractor model creates strong demand for resident trade workers who can support permanent operations. The “supporting cast” occupations (childcare educator, cook, hospitality manager, senior care worker) reflect the everyday constraint of running a remote town.
TSMIT and English concessions broadly mirror the Goldfields DAMA. Pilbara’s distinguishing feature is the scale: total sponsorship volumes through the Pilbara DAMA have been higher than any other agreement except possibly the Northern Territory’s.
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).
Common questions
Pilbara DAMA – common questions
Who runs the Pilbara DAMA?
Regional Development Australia Pilbara is the agreement holder. RDA Pilbara endorses employer applications before they proceed to Home Affairs Standard Business Sponsorship and nomination.
Does the Pilbara DAMA cover Newman?
Newman is in the Shire of East Pilbara, which is covered. Tom Price, Paraburdoo and Onslow are in the Shire of Ashburton, which is also covered. Karratha is in the City of Karratha (covered) and Port Hedland is in the Town of Port Hedland (covered).
Can I sponsor a worker from outside Australia under the Pilbara DAMA?
Yes. Like all 482 visas, sponsorship can be offshore or onshore. Many Pilbara DAMA workers are recruited from offshore, particularly from the Philippines, India and South Africa for trades and engineering roles.
Is there a PR pathway from a Pilbara DAMA 482?
Yes: 186 Direct Entry under the Labour Agreement pathway after 3 years on the 482. Some occupations also retain 191 PR access via the regional residence pathway.
Other DAMA regions