Labour Agreements

Labour Agreements are agreements between Australian business institutions and the Australian government letting the former recruit an agreed number of overseas skilled workers. Labour agreements is a favourable pathway to immigration for the semi-skilled labour. Business organisations need to consult industry stakeholders while developing their labour agreements.

What are the advantages of a labour agreement?

The business can sponsor overseas workers to fill skills shortages under both the Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482) and/or the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) for the duration of the Labour Agreement, which is usually five years.

What are the requirements for companies applying for the labour agreement?

Companies must demonstrate that they have a genuine labour market need to utilise the labour market agreement.
Must be an Australian registered business with a good standing
Must be seeking to fill skilled occupations that are currently not on the list of eligible occupations.
Must be able to meet salary and employment conditions.
Applicants must be able to meet English proficiency, skills, qualifications, experience, health and character requirements.

What are the types of Labour Agreement?

Company-specific labour agreements

A Company-Specific Labour Agreement may be the perfect solution for your business needs. Designed for Australian employers who face unique skill shortages, this agreement allows you to sponsor overseas workers when standard visa programs and industry agreements don’t cover your requirements.

Industry labour agreements

Industry labour agreements provide fixed terms and conditions specific to the industry sector. Industry labour agreements are developed by the Department of Home Affairs in consultation with key industry stakeholders. Currently there are industry agreements in place for advertising, aged care, dairy, fishing, horticulture, meat, minister of religion, on-hire, pork and fine dining restaurants.

Designated Area Migration Agreements

Designated area migration agreements provide flexibility for state/territories to sponsor skilled and semi-skilled overseas worker in areas experiencing skills shortages.

There are currently 13 DAMAs in place. Below is a list of those DAMAs with links to the respective DAR* websites that contain information on how to access each DAMA as well as which regions/locations/shires are covered:

Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement, SA: Skilled & Business Migration
East Kimberley, WA: East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Far North Queensland, QLD: Cairns Chamber of Commerce,
Goulburn Valley, VIC: Goulburn Valley
Great South Coast, VIC: Warrnambool City Council
Northern Territory, NT: Northern Territory Designated Area Migration Agreement
Orana, NSW: Regional Development Australia – Orana, NSW
Pilbara, WA: RDA Pilbara
South Australia Regional, SA: Skilled & Business Migration
South West, WA: Shire of Dardanup
The Goldfields, WA: City of Kalgoorlie Boulder
Townsville, QLD: Townsville Enterprise Limited
Western Australia: Department of Training and Workforce Development

Project Agreements

Project agreements allow project companies endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the China-Australia Investment Facilitation Arrangement to employ temporary overseas workers where there are genuine skills shortages.

Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot

The Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot, available until June 30, 2025 with 500 visa spots, enables businesses to access a diverse pool of skilled refugees—including doctors, engineers, and software developers—to fill workplace vacancies. Developed in partnership with Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB), the pilot helps overcome barriers refugees face in obtaining employer-sponsored skilled visas to Australia. TBB assists businesses in identifying and recruiting suitable candidates from their Talent Catalog and provides support throughout the visa application process and after the recruits arrive in Australia.

How we can help you?

Navigating Labour Agreements can be a complex process, but Better Life Migration is here to streamline it for your business. Our expert services include:

Business Eligibility Assessment – We evaluate your business to ensure it meets the legislative criteria for company-specific labour agreements.
Comprehensive Documentation Support: -Collaborate with us to gather and organide all necessary documentation and information for your application.
Application Management – We handle the entire application process, lodging with the Department of Home Affairs and managing it until final approval.
Compliance and Monitoring Assistance – After approval, we help your business comply with sponsorship obligations and provide ongoing monitoring to maintain compliance.
Expert Guidance and Support – Benefit from our range of migration services designed to assist you every step of the way, ensuring a smooth and successful Labour Agreement process.

Choose Better Life Migration to simplify your Labour Agreement journey, secure skilled overseas workers, and enhance your Australian business’s workforce effectively.

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