Labour agreements
Enable approved businesses to sponsor skilled overseas workers where a need cannot be met locally and standard visa programs are not available.
Source: Home Affairs: Labour agreements (retrieved 4 October 2026)
For employers hiring overseas
Labour agreements and DAMAs: when the standard lists do not fit
A labour agreement lets an approved business sponsor skilled workers when there is a demonstrated need the Australian labour market cannot meet and standard visa programs are not available. A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a formal agreement between the government and a state, territory or regional authority to access additional occupations.
By CrossNation Editorial Team. Sources checked 4 October 2026.
Official data
Key facts from official sources
DAMA definition
A formal agreement between the Australian Government and a state or territory government or regional authority to access additional occupations.
Source: Home Affairs: Designated Area Migration Agreement (retrieved 4 October 2026)
Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement
Streamlines recruitment of qualified direct care workers from overseas for the aged care sector where appropriately qualified Australians are not available.
Source: Home Affairs: Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement (retrieved 4 October 2026)
WA DAMA coverage
Covers all of Western Australia and complements regional DAMAs in the Goldfields, Kimberley, Pilbara and South West.
Source: Government of Western Australia: Designated Area Migration Agreement (retrieved 4 October 2026)
Employer guide
What you need to know
What is a labour agreement?
Home Affairs describes labour agreements as arrangements that enable approved businesses to sponsor skilled overseas workers when there is a demonstrated need that cannot be met in the Australian labour market and where the standard temporary or permanent visa programs are not available. They are negotiated between the government and the employer, or between the government and an industry body. A business that holds one nominates workers under the Labour Agreement stream of the Skills in Demand visa. The agreement sets the occupations and terms, and some include concessions that differ from the standard rules.
Industry agreements and the aged care agreement
Industry labour agreements are for a specific industry with fixed terms and conditions, which an industry representative body negotiates after showing ongoing shortages. Home Affairs also publishes an Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement, which is designed to streamline the recruitment of qualified direct care workers from overseas to work in the aged care sector where appropriately qualified Australians are not available. If you run an aged care service, this is the agreement to read before you brief any overseas search for direct care roles.
What is a DAMA?
Home Affairs says a DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a state or territory government or regional authority that lets the designated area access additional occupations not available in the standard skilled migration program. Under its terms the area may access a broader range of overseas workers by varying standard occupation lists or negotiating concessions. An employer in the area usually needs an endorsement from the regional body before it can sponsor under the agreement, so check the regional authority's own page for the process.
Which regions have DAMAs?
The Western Australian Government says the WA DAMA covers the whole of Western Australia, including metropolitan Perth and the regions, and complements regional DAMAs in the Goldfields, Kimberley, Pilbara and South West. Other states, territories and regional authorities run their own agreements. Home Affairs is the authority on which designated areas exist and on their terms, so use its DAMA page for the current list, and check the regional authority's eligibility criteria before planning a search around one.
Tell us the role, location and start date
The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is a labour agreement faster than the standard Skills in Demand visa?
Do not assume so. Home Affairs sets the process and the assessment, and we cannot give timelines. Ask a registered migration agent what to expect for your business.
Does CrossNation hold a labour agreement?
No. Labour agreements are held by the employer or an industry arrangement. CrossNation recruits candidates for employers that hold or are seeking their own approval.
Can any employer use the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement?
It is a Home Affairs agreement for the aged care sector with its own requirements. Read the Home Affairs page and confirm your eligibility with a registered migration agent.
How do I know if my region has a DAMA?
Use the Home Affairs DAMA page and your state or regional authority's website, which publish the designated areas and the endorsement process.
Can a DAMA cover trades, hospitality or care roles?
It can cover additional occupations negotiated into the agreement. The list differs by agreement, so read the terms for your area.