Designated Area Migration Agreement
Townsville DAMA
Townsville DAMA: sponsor workers in Townsville and North West Queensland with English, age, salary and PR concessions. Lawyer-led, endorsement to grant.
Endorsing Authority
Townsville Enterprise Limited
English Concession
IELTS 5.0 average with no minimum component for 482 and 494 (concessional occupations only)
Age Concession
Age concessions available for listed occupations (494 and 186)
Salary Concession
Income threshold concessions for high demand roles such as cooks, aged carers and truck drivers
Key industries in the Townsville
Industries Covered
Manufacturing, health care and social assistance, transport and warehousing, professional and technical services, hospitality, agriculture, mining
Occupation Note
214 occupations since the 2025 expansion, covering the Townsville, Charters Towers, Burdekin, Hinchinbrook, Flinders, Richmond, McKinlay, Cloncurry and Mount Isa local government areas.
The endorsement process
Townsville Enterprise assesses the endorsement request, generally within 20 working days, against a per position fee scaled to business size ($880 to $1,800 for members and $1,100 to $2,250 for non-members, GST inclusive). Stages two to four, the labour agreement, nomination and visa, sit with the Department of Home Affairs.
How the Townsville DAMA works
The Townsville North Queensland DAMA is an agreement between the Australian Government and Townsville Enterprise Limited. A 2025 expansion took the list to 214 occupations across manufacturing, health care and social assistance, transport, and professional, scientific and technical services, adding roles such as hairdressers, beauty therapists, nurse managers and refrigeration mechanics, and covers the Townsville, Charters Towers, Burdekin, Hinchinbrook, Flinders, Richmond, McKinlay, Cloncurry and Mount Isa local government areas.
Concessions to age, English language and income thresholds were introduced in that expansion for high demand roles including cooks, chefs, fruit pickers, aged carers, truck drivers, childcare workers and motor mechanics. Under the TNQ DAMA Information Guide, the English concession for a concessional occupation is an average IELTS 5.0 with no minimum component for the subclass 482 and 494 visas, the labour agreement runs for up to five years and can be varied, and the business must have operated in the designated area for at least 12 months unless exceptional circumstances exist.
The endorsement fee is charged per position and scales with headcount: from $880 (members) or $1,100 (non-members) for businesses of up to 50 staff, to $1,800 or $2,250 for more than 500 staff. Townsville Enterprise aims to finish an endorsement assessment within 20 working days, a business can be endorsed before identifying any worker, and labour market testing evidence is required at the labour agreement and nomination stages with the Department of Home Affairs.
Visa Plan Lawyers and the Townsville DAMA
Visa Plan Lawyers drafts the covering submission Townsville Enterprise requires, explaining why the DAMA rather than a standard visa is needed and how the proposed salary was set, and then manages the Department of Home Affairs stages.
Reviewed by Visa Plan Lawyers · Last updated: April 2026 · DAMA information sourced from the Department of Home Affairs. DAMA terms, occupation lists, and concessions are subject to change. This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Contact Visa Plan for advice specific to your circumstances.