Marek is a diesel motor mechanic in the Goldfields. He is 47, his employer wants to keep him, and the standard 186 visa closes at 45. On the mainstream rules, his permanent residence conversation is over before it starts. Under the regional labour agreement that covers his town, however, it is only beginning. Because most Designated Area Migration Agreements lift the age line to under 55, Marek has eight more years of runway.
Short answer: Most DAMAs allow sponsorship to under 55, with negotiated English and salary concessions. The permanent stage is a labour agreement 186 at $6,140 for the main applicant, available only after the regional body has endorsed the employer.
This guide explains the three families of concessions, the order the steps must follow, and the 2026-27 figures that apply at the permanent stage.
Age: the concession that matters most
The mainstream 186 requires the applicant to be under 45 at lodgement. By contrast, most DAMAs allow nominations up to age 55, and some go further for particular occupations. For a tradesperson in their late forties, that single line is the difference between a pathway and a polite refusal.
Two cautions apply. First, the concession is written per occupation in each agreement’s schedule, so it is never automatic. Second, the age is tested when the application is lodged, not when the job offer is signed. Therefore, an employer who delays endorsement can still run a worker past the line.
English and salary: the other two concessions
| Setting | Mainstream skilled rule | Typical DAMA position |
|---|---|---|
| Age at lodgement | Under 45 | Under 55 in most agreements |
| English | Fixed test scores by stream | Lower scores for listed occupations |
| Salary | At least the Core Skills Income Threshold of $79,423 | A capped discount for listed occupations, still at market rate |
| Occupation | National skills list | The agreement’s own schedule |
English concessions let a capable worker who narrowly misses a test band still be sponsored. Importantly, the required level is set per occupation, so a cook and a nurse in the same region can face different scores. Salary concessions recognise that regional pay for some roles sits below city benchmarks. However, the role must still pay what an Australian worker would earn in the same job. The discount is a cap, not a licence.
The order the steps must follow
A DAMA is not a visa. It is a five-year head agreement between the Commonwealth and a regional body, and each employer joins it individually. As a result, the permanent stage is the last of several steps, not the first.
- Step 1The employer applies to the regional body for endorsement of the role and the concessions sought.
- Step 2Once endorsed, the employer requests a labour agreement from Home Affairs.
- Step 3Under that agreement, the employer nominates the worker for a 482 visa in the labour agreement stream.
- Step 4The worker completes the qualifying period of work in the region set by the agreement.
- Step 5The employer nominates again, this time for the 186 in the labour agreement stream, with the concessions carried across where the schedule allows.
Skipping a step is not possible. In particular, a nomination lodged before the labour agreement is signed has nothing to attach to. That mistake costs months and a nomination charge.
What the endorsement body checks
The regional representative acts as a gatekeeper before the Department sees anything. It examines the business, the position and the local labour market. In addition, it confirms the occupation and the concessions requested sit within the schedule. Consequently, a strong endorsement file looks like a strong nomination file: a genuine role, honest recruitment evidence and pay that matches the market.
The extra layer is the regional body’s own form and evidence list, which differs between agreements. Our employer sponsorship page sets out the sponsorship obligations that continue to apply under any labour agreement.
Who does what
Confirm your occupation appears on the schedule for the region you are targeting. Then check which of the three concessions actually attach to it, because many occupations carry only one or two. Ask the employer whether it already holds a labour agreement, since that changes your timeline by months. Finally, read the permanent stage conditions before you sign, including the qualifying period and any residence expectation.
Map the roles you cannot fill locally and keep every advertisement, shortlist and rejection. Approach the regional body for endorsement before making offers that depend on a visa. Budget for the nomination charge and the Skilling Australians Fund levy, which cannot be recovered from the worker. Above all, diarise the agreement’s expiry, because renewal is not automatic.
What the permanent stage costs in 2026-27
The labour agreement stream of the 186 uses the standard 186 charges. The employer pays a $540 nomination charge and a one-off Skilling Australians Fund levy of $3,000 for turnover under $10 million, or $5,000 above it. The worker pays the visa application charge below.
Health checks, police clearances and any English test sit on top. Our fees and process page explains how professional fees are staged across the temporary and permanent applications.
Traps we see on DAMA files
What if the agreement is renegotiated while I am on the 482?
DAMAs are renewed periodically and schedules change at renewal. In most cases a worker already nominated keeps the terms of the labour agreement in force at that time. Even so, the permanent nomination is assessed against the agreement as it stands when lodged. Therefore, we check the renewal date early and, where the timing is tight, we bring the permanent nomination forward.
Does time with a different employer count?
Usually not. The qualifying period is tied to the sponsoring employer in the region. Changing sponsors normally restarts the count, so a job move mid-pathway needs advice first. The same principle applies to the mainstream transition stream, which we explain in the three dates that decide a 482 to 186 application.
One further point. Keep payslips, rosters and contracts from day one, since the permanent nomination will rely on them years later.
Where DAMAs operate
The Northern Territory pioneered the model, and agreements now cover regions in every mainland state. Each one negotiates its own schedule. Consequently, the same occupation can carry an age concession in one region and none in the next. The current list sits on the Home Affairs website and changes as agreements are renewed.
Frequently asked questions
Is the DAMA age concession tested at nomination or at visa lodgement?
Age is assessed when the visa application is lodged. Endorsement and the labour agreement can take several months. An applicant close to the concession limit should therefore have the employer start early.
Can a worker already on a mainstream 482 switch into a DAMA pathway?
Yes, if the employer obtains endorsement and a labour agreement and then nominates the worker under it. A new 482 nomination in the labour agreement stream is usually required. Time already worked may or may not count towards the permanent stage, depending on the agreement.
Do salary concessions reduce what the employer must pay?
Only within the cap written into the schedule, and only where the occupation carries a salary concession. The employer must still pay the market rate for the role in that region. Underpayment breaches the labour agreement as well as workplace law.
Can family members be included on the DAMA 186?
Yes. Partners and dependent children are included in the same application and pay their own visa application charges of $3,070 and $1,535. They must meet health and character requirements, and the English concession does not extend to the secondary applicant charge rules.
What happens if the employer’s labour agreement expires before the permanent nomination?
The employer generally needs to renew the agreement before it can nominate again. Renewal takes time and the schedule may change. We therefore map the agreement’s end date against the qualifying period at the outset, and we lodge as soon as both are satisfied.
Figures verified against Home Affairs visa pricing as at 1 July 2026.
This article is general information about Australian migration law as at 2 September 2026. It is not legal advice. Concessions are set per occupation in each agreement and figures change each July, so obtain advice before acting.