Applications for the FNQ DAMA are now open! All enquiries to
There are no charges for:
- labour agreement - Department of Home Affairs
There are fees, which change over time, for:
- endorsement by Cairns Chamber of Commerce to access the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement
- nomination application - Department of Home Affairs
- worker visa application - Department of Home Affairs
- Skilling Australians Fund levy - Department of Home Affairs
- skills assessment
DAR ENDORSEMENT FEE |
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| CCC members | $770 (GST incl) | per worker/nomination | |
| Non-members | $935 (GST incl) | per worker/nomination | |
"Members" refers to the business seeking endorsement, not their agent.
You can find more information about the Department of Home Affairs' fees and charges here.
The Cairns Chamber of Commerce Designated Area Migration Agreement (FNQ DAMA) is an employer-sponsored visa program which comes under the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482 labour agreement stream). An individual worker cannot apply for a visa independently under the FNQ DAMA. They should look for a job with a business in the Designated Area who will sponsor them.
There are several steps in the FNQ DAMA process.
Step 1
Your business first needs to apply to the Cairns Chamber of Commerce for endorsement. Use Form 1 below ("Request for endorsement to access a labour agreement under the FNQ DAMA") as the key guide to completing your application - this form includes a detailed checklist and explanation.
Form 1:
Request for endorsement to access a labour agreement under the FNQ DAMA
Form 2:
FNQ DAMA business declaration (mandatory)
Form 3:
Summary of salary concessions (if seeking concessions)
Submit your electronic application as a single PDF to or mail a hardcopy to:
Migration Manager
Cairns Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 2336
Cairns QLD 4870
Step 2
If your business is eligible to access the FNQ DAMA, the Chamber will send a letter of endorsement and copies of the supporting documents to the Australian Government. A copy of the letter will be sent to your business.
Step 3
Your businesses can then apply for a labour agreement through ImmiAccount.
The labour agreement request form can be found in your ImmiAccount under a new labour agreement category on the new application page.
Step 4
Your business identifies an overseas worker/s that is suitably skilled and experienced for the occupation that has FNQ DAMA approval. You must provide each worker with a settlement package (which Cairns Chamber of Commerce will provide to you) before the worker lodges their visa application.
Step 5
Your business submits a nomination application to the Australian Government for every overseas worker you want to employ under the FNQ DAMA using your ImmiAccount.
Step 6
Your overseas worker can then apply for a visa.
The new Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement (FNQ DAMA) also provides a pathway to permanent residence for select occupations where endorsed by the Chamber.
Eligible employees will be able to apply for permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) subclass 186 visa. Please note that as the FNQ DAMA was signed in 2019 and one of the eligibility requirements to access this pathway through the FNQ DAMA is that the worker has held a TSS subclass 482 visa under the FNQ DAMA for three years, requests for endorsement for ENS permanent visa posiitons cannot be made until 2022. The information and forms in this FNQ DAMA website will be updated with the relevant information before that date.
Eligibility criteria for employees
Under the current FNQ DAMA, employees must meet the following at the time of nomination:
- be under 45 years of age.
- hold a TSS subclass 482 visa issued under the current FNQ DAMA
- meet the qualifications and experience requirement
- must have a minimum score of at least 6 in an IELTS test or equivalent
- meet the work requirement
- have worked full-time in FNQ, for at least three of the four years prior to nomination in one or more FNQ DAMA endorsed businesses
- in those three years, must have worked in the nominated occupation or in an occupation in the same ANZSCO four-digit level; that occupation must be specified in the FNQ DAMA eg Diesel Motor Mechanic (ANZSCO 321212) and Motorcycle Mechanic (ANZSCO 321211) are on the same ANZSCO four-digit level
- in those three years, must have been on a TSS subclass 482 visa issued under the FNQ DAMA
- meet the requirements from the Department of Home Affairs website.
Requirements for nominating employers
Nominating businesses must meet the following nomination requirements:
- the occupation you are nominating must be the one connected to the employee’s TSS subclass 482 visa
- 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 FNQ DAMA and have an associated labour agreement in place with the Australian Government.
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
Step 1: Your business needs to apply to the Cairns Chamber of Commerce for endorsement (as above - the information and forms will be made available closer to 2022 when workers may begin to fall eligible and requests for endorsement will be accepted).
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 ENS subclass 186 to the Department of Home Affairs.
Step 4: The employee can then lodge an application for a ENS subclass 186 visa.
Subsequent year endorsement process
Endorsement to access the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement (FNQ DAMA) is for up to five years, however initial allocation of occupation types and number of vacancies are for the first year only. Businesses seeking to access new overseas workers or workers under different occupations included in the FNQ DAMA agreement will need to apply to the Cairns Chamber of Commerce each subsequent year, using the same form/s and information as outlined above for initial endorsements.
