Regional Migration
The Cairns Chamber of Commerce is the Designated Area Representative (DAR) for the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement (FNQ DAMA).
The Cairns Chamber of Commerce is also a Regional Certifying Body (RCB) for the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) visa program.
FNQ DAMA and RCB news updates are posted below. To be notified of updates automatically, consider signing up to our subscriber list for the service.
Considering moving to Cairns? Explore Cairns Regional Council’s handy Choose Cairns guide to get to know our region.
Regional Certifying Body (RCB) Services
The Cairns Chamber of Commerce is an authorised Regional Certifying Body (RCB) for northern Queensland.
Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement
The Cairns Chamber of Commerce is the Designated Area Representative (DAR) for the FNQ DAMA.
Indexation of TSMIT/CSIT on 1 July 2026 (posted 27 March 2026)
The TSMIT (minimum salary for overseas workers) is indexed on 1 July each year. This invariably means an increase. The FNQ DAMA TSMIT concession (90% of TSMIT for Skill level 3-5 occupations) increases proportionately.
It is important to be aware that the date that a nomination/s is submitted is what determines the level of TSMIT (with or without concession) that applies to the nominee. A nomination lodged on 30 June will be subject to the current TSMIT while a nomination lodged on 1 July will be subject to the increased TSMIT.
This is a reminder that in May-June every year the Chamber of Commerce receives many ‘last minute’ requests for both initial FNQ DAMA labour agreements and to vary existing labour agreements by employers hoping to lodge nominations before the 1 July increase. Given the usual volume at that time of year, the Chamber cannot guarantee that last minute requests can be finalised in time. Please consider your FNQ DAMA needs well in advance, ahead of the 1 July 2026 TSMIT indexation.
Important update regarding Child Care Worker and Out of School hours care Worker (posted 27 March 2026)
Child Care and also Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) sector employers already holding an FNQ DAMA labour agreement or intending to access an agreement should note that, as a result of government adding the occupations of Child Care Worker (not group leader) and Out of School Hours Care Worker to the Combined Skilled Occupation List (CSOL) in standard skilled migration programs, the Department of Home Affairs has changed the skills, qualifications and experience requirements in the FNQ DAMA (and other DAMAs) for these occupations to align with other occupations that also appear in both the FNQ DAMA Occupation List and any of the four standard occupation lists.
This means that any new or recently executed (signed) FNQ DAMA labour agreements with these occupations will now have different skills, qualifications and experience requirements than earlier labour agreements.
The FNQ DAMA Occupation and Concession List and the associated FNQ DAMA Information Guide have been updated to reflect this change. You will note that these occupations now fall within Group 1 of the Guide, with the former Group 7A now being obsolete.
The upside is that, now these occupations are in Group 1, a skills assessment with ACECQA is not mandatory (but remains discretionary).
Important update regarding Labour Market Testing (LMT) and ENS (12 December 2025)
Although LMT is not a legislative requirement for occupations/positions seeking the ENS option, note that it is policy that both the DAR and the Department of Home Affairs may still request evidence of testing the labour market to determine whether:
- The employer has made genuine efforts to recruit Australians.
- The position is genuinely needed and aligns with DAMA objectives to address regional skill shortages.
- The request aligns with program integrity and compliance with Labour Agreement conditions.
Fifty-one additional/new occupations available under the FNQ DAMA from 22 March 2025
The FNQ DAMA Head Agreement has been varied and now includes fifty-one additional occupations, bringing the total to 226. All forms and information guides have been updated and are now available in this website. Be sure to use only the current versions.
FNQ DAMA Head Agreement extended to 3 April 2027
On 20 January 2025, Assistant Minister Matthew Thistlethwaite confirmed in writing that the FNQ DAMA Head Agreement will be extended by a further two years, to 3 April 2027, while consultations take place about the format of DAMAs moving forward.
The Minister also confirmed that the Deed of Variation submitted by the Cairns Chamber of Commerce early in 2024 will be determined in time to be included in the signing of the extended head agreement (i.e. before 3 April 2025). This Deed of Variation included Chamber requests to add numerous new occupations to the FNQ DAMA, and to allow more flexibility with the TSMIT concessions (now CSIT). While the head agreement extension is confirmed, the outcome of the additional occupations and CSIT concession changes is not yet known. The outcome will be posted as a new update when known.