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Labour Agreements Australia

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Aligning migration to your workforce needs

For some employers, standard skilled migration pathways don’t offer the flexibility needed for their workforce demands—especially when operating in regional areas, navigating industry-wide shortages, or managing unique business circumstances. 

Labour Agreements allow businesses to sponsor overseas workers under more flexible conditions than standard visa programs, aligning visa requirements with specific workforce needs. 

A well-informed Labour Agreement strategy—designed to reflect your business’s unique workforce needs—can make all the difference in securing the right agreement and building a sustainable, skilled team.

Labour Agreement Sponsorship Australia

Labour Agreements operate as a separate stream within the standard 482 Skills in Demand, 494 Regional and 186 Permanent Residence Visa programs. 

Flexibility is granted via concessions to the eligibility criteria that usually apply to these visas.

482 Skills in Demand Visa

Streams:

Core Skills

Specialist Skills

Labour Agreement

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494 Regional Visa

Streams:

Sponsored

Labour Agreement

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186 Permanent Visa

Streams:

Temporary Resident Transition

Direct Entry

Labour Agreement

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Labour Agreement Visa Australia

Labour Agreements fall into four main categories—industry, company-specific, project and Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs), with varying levels of flexibility to negotiate visa terms with Home Affairs. 

To apply, employers must lodge a Labour Agreement Request and meet specific requirements based on the agreement type. To assist employers with understanding each Labour Agreement’s key features, Interstaff has prepared a comparative analysis.  

Labour Agreement TypePurposeVisa TermsConcessions AvailableEmployer Access
Industry Labour AgreementsAddresses Sector-Specific Needs in industries with ongoing skill shortages.Fixed Terms and Conditions  
set out in a template agreement established in consultation with industry bodies and Home Affairs.		Occupation, Salary, Skills, Work Experience, English language & Age.
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Industry-specific occupations may go beyond standard program occupation lists. 		Eligible businesses can apply under established agreements: {{ Read more }}
Available for:
* Advertising
* Aged Care
* Dairy
* Fishing
* Horticulture
* Meat
* Minister of Religion
* On-hire
* Pork
* Restaurant (Fine Dining)
Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs)Focused on Regional Workforce Needs to alleviate local skill shortages. Fixed Terms and Conditions –set out in a template agreement established in consultation with Regional area stakeholders and Home Affairs.  Occupation, Salary, Skills, Work Experience, English language & Age.
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Industry-specific occupations may go beyond standard program occupation lists.  		Regional businesses can apply to the regional body for endorsement under the established agreements. 
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DAMAs are available in:
* Goldfields, WA
* Pilbara, WA
* South West, WA
* East Kimberley, WA
* Western Australia
* Adelaide City (Technology and Innovation Advancement), SA
* South Australia Regional, SA
* Far North Queensland, QLD
* Townsville, QLD
* Goulburn Valley, VIC
* Great South Coast, VIC
* Northern Territory, NT
* Orana, NSW
Company-specific 
Labour Agreements		For Unique, company-specific skills needs to address genuine skills shortages not covered by other programs. Negotiated when employers request specific concessions based on their distinct workforce requirements.  Occupation, Salary, Skills, Work Experience, English language & Age. 
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See policy updates on 14 December 2024.		Employers must provide compelling evidence of their niche skill needs and conduct stakeholder engagement.  
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Local recruitment efforts required to support the Labour Agreement Request.  
Project 
Agreements		For Large-Scale Projects – major resource or infrastructure projects experiencing genuine skill shortages.  Negotiated between a project company and Home Affairs. Government endorsement for project required.  Occupation, Salary, Skills, Work Experience, English language & Age. 
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Only approved occupations relevant to the project may be included in the Agreement. 		Employers involved in the project apply for Labour Agreements – a strong business case is required.

Talk to us to explore a migration strategy for your project needs.

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Labour Agreement Strategy for Targeted Migration

Home Affairs considers business requests for a Labour Agreement on a case-by-case basis. It is essential that employers build a strong business case that clearly justifies their need for concessions. 

Once approved, Labour Agreements provide a five-year sponsorship period to engage overseas workers with access to specific visa concessions.

Interstaff partners with employers to develop a Labour Agreement Strategy that considers their unique operational needs. 

STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

STEP 1

Strategy:
Labour Agreement Suitability

We first determine the Labour Agreement pathway that best fits your workforce needs—assessing how concessions align with required skills, whether through an industry agreement, DAMA, company-specific agreement, or project-based labour agreement.

This involves:

Assessing Workforce Needs:

We work closely with employers to understand skills gaps, recruitment challenges, and long-term workforce goals. 

Reviewing Suitable Labour Agreements and Eligibility:

We assess eligibility for Labour Agreement pathways across four key stages: 
1. Labour Agreement Request
2. Skills Assessments
3. Nomination Applications
4. Visa Application

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Strategic Visa Planning:

We develop a tailored visa strategy to enable the business to become an approved sponsor under a Labour Agreement. This includes:

  • Uncovering the basis of your business case to request a Labour Agreement
  • Advising on Labour Market Testing (LMT) requirements
  • Advice on leveraging Labour Agreement provisions and concessions
  • Guidance on ongoing compliance obligations, such as Market Salary Rates
  • Advising realistic timelines for engaging workers under a Labour Agreement