Picture a Mount Isa diesel workshop with 60 staff. It needs two Diesel Motor Mechanics, and local advertising has produced nobody. The owner asks one question first. What will the Townsville North Queensland DAMA cost before a single worker arrives?
This article prices that decision. Townsville Enterprise Limited is the Designated Area Representative, or DAR. We checked its fee page, Information Guide and June 2025 occupation list on 28 September 2026.
The worked example: two mechanics, one invoice at a time
Diesel Motor Mechanic appears on the TNQ occupation list at skill level 3. Better still, it carries the 10 per cent salary concession. So the example uses a real listed role.
First comes the DAR endorsement fee. The DAR charges it per ANZSCO position sought. Its documents do not say whether two vacancies in one occupation count once or twice. So budget for two, and ask the DAR before you lodge.
For a business of 51 to 100 staff, the member rate is $1,240 per position. Meanwhile the non-member rate is $1,550. On a two-position basis, membership therefore saves $620.
Next come the Home Affairs charges for each worker. Each 482 nomination costs $330. On top of that, the Skilling Australians Fund levy applies at nomination. It is $1,200 a year for businesses turning over less than $10 million. Otherwise it is $1,800 a year.
So a smaller workshop nominating two workers for two years pays $4,800 in levy alone. By contrast, a larger business pays $7,200 for the same period. The visa charge itself starts from $4,015 for each main applicant.
| Cost item (example: two Diesel Motor Mechanics) | Amount |
|---|---|
| DAR endorsement, two positions, 51 to 100 staff | $2,480 member / $3,100 non-member |
| 482 nomination, $330 per worker | $660 |
| SAF levy, two workers, two years, turnover under $10m | $4,800 |
| SAF levy, two workers, two years, turnover $10m or more | $7,200 |
| 482 visa charge, per main applicant | From $4,015 |
Importantly, these are fees and charges only. They exclude advertising, relocation and professional costs. Also, the SAF levy cannot lawfully be passed back to the worker.
The DAR fee scales with your headcount
The fee is payable in full when you request endorsement. In addition, it rises with the size of the business.
| Business size | Member rate per position (incl. GST) | Non-member rate per position (incl. GST) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 50 staff | $800 | $1,100 |
| 51 to 100 staff | $1,240 | $1,550 |
| 101 to 200 staff | $1,450 | $1,812 |
| 201 to 500 staff | $1,640 | $2,050 |
| Over 500 staff | $1,800 | $2,250 |
One discrepancy deserves a phone call. The web fee page shows $800 for the smallest member band. However, the Information Guide shows $880 for the same band. So confirm the figure with the DAR before you pay.
Membership also has a condition. It must be held by the employing entity itself, not by its migration agent.
The salary floor you can budget against
Home Affairs sets the Core Skills Income Threshold at $79,423. In the DAMA context, the DAR still refers to it as TSMIT. Either way, the figure applies to nominations lodged from 1 July 2026.
For our mechanics, the 10 per cent concession lowers the floor. On our calculation, that is about $71,481. We counted the concession on 37 entries of the June 2025 list.
Even so, the floor is not the wage. The salary must also match the award and the market rate for an Australian doing the same job. Consequently, most trade roles in the region will sit above the discounted figure anyway.
The DAR also asks for full-time direct employment. Furthermore, workers must be paid at least fortnightly.
Two gates before any money is spent
The first gate is geography. The designated area covers nine councils. They are the City of Townsville, Hinchinbrook Shire, Charters Towers Regional Council and Burdekin Shire. Further west sit the City of Mount Isa and the Shires of Cloncurry, McKinlay, Richmond and Flinders.
The position must sit inside that area. Short work trips outside it are possible. However, Home Affairs must agree before a worker spends more than three months in twelve outside the area.
The second gate is trading history. Generally, the business must have operated in the area for at least twelve months. The DAR will consider exceptional circumstances, but you must make that case.
Advertising: the cost nobody invoices you for
For labour market testing, Townsville North Queensland is a Category 3 location. As a result, you need at least two separate attempts per occupation. One advertisement must have national reach. The other may run locally, within the designated area.
Both attempts must fall within the twelve months before the labour agreement request. They must also fall within twelve months of each associated nomination. So a slow start can force a second round of advertising.
Strictly, testing is not a legislative step at endorsement. Nevertheless, the DAR says it looks for similar genuine attempts before it endorses.
How long the money sits before a worker starts
Endorsement is stage one of four. Next, you request the labour agreement through ImmiAccount. Then you nominate each worker, and each worker applies for the visa.
The Information Guide says well-prepared requests are generally finalised within five working days. Poorly prepared ones take longer. Therefore a complete file is the cheapest way to save time.
What the spend buys in year three
The concessions matter most at the permanent stage. Every occupation on the main list carries a permanent residence pathway. Workers in skill levels 1 to 4 can be nominated for the 186 or 494 until they turn 55.
For the 186, the worker generally needs two years of full-time work first. That work must be in the nominated or a closely related listed occupation. Throughout, they must live and work in the designated area. The employer then offers at least two further years of full-time work.
Skill level 5 roles differ. Those workers face an age limit of 50. Moreover, they must move into a higher skill level role for two years. Without that step, no permanent pathway exists.
For the underlying structure, read what a DAMA is and who signs it. Our note on how DAMA concessions reopen permanent residence covers the age rules in depth. Cairns businesses should instead read our FNQ DAMA order of operations. Finally, our employer sponsorship page sets out the standard routes beside it.
Frequently asked questions
When is the DAR endorsement fee paid?
It is payable in full when you request endorsement. The DAR charges it per ANZSCO position sought. Confirm with the DAR how it counts several vacancies in one occupation.
Can our migration agent’s membership give us the member rate?
No. The DAR requires the employing entity itself to hold the Townsville Enterprise membership. An agent’s membership does not count.
Can we pay a sponsored worker $71,481 under the salary concession?
Only where that figure also meets the award and the market rate. The concession lowers the income threshold, not the market rate. Most trade roles will sit higher.
Our business moved to Townsville six months ago. Can we still apply?
The DAR generally expects twelve months of operation in the designated area. It will consider exceptional circumstances. You must explain and evidence them in the request.
Does the Townsville DAMA lead to permanent residence?
Every occupation on the main list carries a permanent residence pathway. The 186 route generally needs two years of full-time work in the area. Skill level 5 workers must first move to a higher skill level role.
This article is general information only, current at 28 September 2026. It is not legal advice and does not address your circumstances. DAMA terms and Commonwealth charges change, so seek tailored advice before you act.