Permanent residence pathway
The new Northern Territory Designated Area Migration Agreement (NT DAMA) provides a pathway to permanent residence.
Workers sponsored under the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) subclass 494 visa can become eligible for permanent residency through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) subclass 191 visa after working with an NT DAMA endorsed employer for 3 years.
Employers do not need to sponsor workers for the permanent pathway through the subclass 191 visa. For information on this pathway, go to Home Affairs website.
Other overseas workers including those who were initially sponsored on a Temporary Skill Shortage subclass 482 (TSS) visa who have worked in an eligible occupation in the NT, for 2 years full-time can be sponsored by NT employers for permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) subclass 186 visa.
The following eligibility criteria must be met.
Eligibility criteria for TSS and other temporary visa holders (except SESR and Skilled Work Regional Provisional subclass 491 visa holders)
Nominated occupation
Employees must be nominated for an occupation on the current NT DAMA list or on the following table.
| ANZSCO code | Occupation | Skill level |
|---|---|---|
| 221111 | Accountant - general | 1 |
| 342411 | Cabler - data and telecommunications | 3 |
| 111111 | Chief executive or managing director | 1 |
| 312212 | Civil engineering technician | 2 |
| 311412 | Earth science technician | 2 |
| 342314 | Electronic instrument trades worker - general | 3 |
| 149913 | Facilities manager | 2 |
| 231113 | Flying instructor | 1 |
| 121213 | Fruit or nut grower | 1 |
| 142114 | Hair or beauty salon manager | 2 |
| 313111 | Hardware technician | 2 |
| 121216 | Mixed crop farmer | 1 |
| 121317 | Mixed livestock farmer | 1 |
| 321213 | Motorcycle mechanic | 3 |
| 272612 | Recreation officer | 1 |
| 221113 | Taxation accountant | 1 |
| 712921 | Waste water or water plant operator | 4 |
Age
- be under 55 years of age (skill level 1-4 occupations) or under 45 years of age (skill level 5 occupations)
English
- meet English language requirements:
- if your occupation has an English concession, you must meet the requirements, read concessions available
- if you are nominated for an occupation that is not eligible for an English language concession, you must have a minimum score of at least 6 in an IELTS test or equivalent
Qualifications and experience
- meet the qualifications and experience requirement
- have a skills assessment for the nominated occupation. Skills assessments previously obtained (e.g. for the purposes of obtaining a TSS visa) can be utilised for this purpose.
Previous employment in the NT
- Have worked in the NT for 2 years on a full-time basis (or part-time equivalent of 2 years full-time) in the ENS-nominated occupation or a closely related occupation in the same skill level
- Have complied with conditions of the visa(s) held
Ongoing employment
- Employment in the nominated occupations must be full-time and must be ongoing for at least 2 years with the possibility of extension/s.
Requirements for nominating employers
Nominating businesses must meet the following nomination requirements:
- the occupation you are nominating must be the one connected to the identified employee’s 2 years of experience in the NT
- you must offer full-time employment to the nominee for at least two years, with the possibility of extension.
Nominating businesses must be endorsed under the current NT DAMA and have an associated labour agreement in place with the Australian Government.
This means that businesses who hold a labour agreement under previous NT DAMA(s) must be endorsed under the current NT DAMA and enter into a new labour agreement to nominate for a subclass 186 visa.
In addition to the above, nominating businesses must also meet the endorsement criteria including labour market testing requirements, and meet the requirements from the Department of Home Affairs website.
How to apply
If you are a business with an existing NT DAMA II labour agreement
Step 1: Your business needs to apply to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade for subsequent year endorsement. Get the checklist and forms on subsequent endorsement process.
Step 2: Once endorsed, the Department of Home Affairs will contact you and work with you to amend your existing labour agreement.
Step 3: Submit your nomination application for the subclass 186 visa to the Department of Home Affairs.
Step 4: The employee can then lodge an application for a subclass 186 visa.
If you do not have an existing NT DAMA II labour agreement
Step 1: Your business needs to apply to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade for endorsement. You can find the checklist and forms on employer step by step guide.
Step 2: Once endorsed, you must request a labour agreement from the Department of Home Affairs through ImmiAccount.
Step 3: Submit your nomination application for the subclass 186 to the Department of Home Affairs.
Step 4: The employee can then lodge an application for a subclass 186 visa.
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