The Kimberley DAMA, listed by Home Affairs as the East Kimberley DAMA, lets employers in the Shires of Wyndham East Kimberley, Broome, Halls Creek and Derby-West Kimberley sponsor 482 workers in occupations outside the standard lists, once the East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry endorses the business. The five-year agreement was signed in March 2022 with more than 100 occupations, and businesses could apply from 1 April 2022. Check the occupation on the Chamber’s current list, then request endorsement before lodging a labour agreement request with Home Affairs.
| Setting | Kimberley DAMA, 24 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Endorsing body | East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| Area | Shires of Wyndham East Kimberley, Broome, Halls Creek and Derby-West Kimberley (at signing: Wyndham East Kimberley only) |
| Agreement | Five years, signed March 2022; applications from 1 April 2022; in place at 24 September 2026 |
| Current end date | Not published on a government page |
| Occupations | Not published on a government page (more than 100 at signing) |
| Age, English and salary concessions | Not published on a government page |
| Endorsement fee | Not published on a government page |
| Checked | 24 September 2026 |
“Not published” means no government page states it; the Chamber’s website, linked from the Home Affairs DAMA page, explains how to access the agreement.
| Item | Amount | Applies from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 482 visa application charge, main applicant | $4,015 | 1 July 2026 | Home Affairs: Core Skills stream |
| 482 nomination fee | $330 | current | Home Affairs: cost of sponsoring |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, 482, turnover under $10 million (per year nominated) | $1,200 | current | Home Affairs: cost of sponsoring |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy, 482, turnover $10 million or more (per year nominated) | $1,800 | current | Home Affairs: cost of sponsoring |
| 186 nomination fee (nil for a TRT or labour agreement position in regional Australia) | $540 | current | Home Affairs: 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream |
Who endorses Kimberley DAMA positions?
The East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EKCCI) is the designated area representative (DAR), as both Home Affairs and the WA Government list it. The Immigration Minister’s joint release of 31 March 2022 says the Chamber administers the process for accessing the DAMA. Individuals cannot apply: a Kimberley employer applies for endorsement and then sponsors the worker.
Which Kimberley shires does it cover?
The Kimberley DAMA covers four shires, as defined in the WA DAMA eligibility criteria published by the Department of Training and Workforce Development:
- Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley, including Kununurra and Wyndham
- Shire of Broome
- Shire of Halls Creek
- Shire of Derby-West Kimberley
At signing in 2022 the agreement covered only the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley, and Home Affairs still lists it under its original name, the East Kimberley DAMA. Pages that limit it to that one shire are out of date. A position elsewhere in WA uses the statewide WA DAMA instead.
Western Australia holds five of Australia’s 13 Designated Area Migration Agreements: the statewide WA DAMA and four regional ones, the Kimberley among them.
When did the Kimberley DAMA start, and how long does it run?
- 31 March 2022: the East Kimberley DAMA is signed and announced as a five-year agreement.
- 1 April 2022: local businesses can apply for access.
- 24 September 2026: Home Affairs lists the agreement as in place.
Its end date, and any move into the statewide WA DAMA, are not published on a government page. Home Affairs says it “is currently supporting the transition to state and territory-led DAMAs”, but gives no date for the Kimberley.
What does endorsement cost?
The Chamber’s endorsement fee is not published on a government page. The Home Affairs costs are fixed:
| Cost | Amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Labour agreement request | No charge | Employer |
| Nomination | $330 per worker | Employer |
| Skilling Australians Fund levy | $1,200 or $1,800 for each year nominated | Employer |
| 482 visa charge, main applicant | $4,015 | Worker |
Which sectors does the Kimberley list serve?
The Kimberley list held more than 100 occupations at signing, many of them not available under the standard visa programs. The joint release of 31 March 2022 named the sectors behind that list:
- Health care and social assistance: the East Kimberley’s largest employing sector.
- Agriculture and tourism: growing with the Ord Project’s expansion of the Ord River Irrigated Area.
- Emerging industries: forestry, aquaculture, administration and support services, tourism and aviation.
The current occupation count is not published on a government page.
Which concessions does the Kimberley DAMA give, including age?
Kimberley concessions are not published on a government page; the head agreement sets them occupation by occupation. The 482 has no age requirement, so an age concession matters only at the 186 or 494 step, where the limit is under 45 “unless the labour agreement provides otherwise”, according to the Home Affairs 186 Labour Agreement stream page. How the standard limit works is explained in the guide to the 482 visa to PR age limit.
Because the Kimberley’s age, English and salary concessions are set occupation by occupation in the labour agreement rather than on a government page, a migration lawyer who reads the endorsed terms against the 482 and 186 criteria is more likely to catch a worker who will miss the 186 age limit before the 482 is lodged.
Does the Kimberley DAMA lead to a 186?
Yes, where the labour agreement includes it. The 2022 release named “permanent residency pathways” among the agreement’s provisions. A 186 is available through the Labour Agreement stream only if the 482 labour agreement includes it as an option, and the 186 nomination fee is nil for a labour agreement position in regional Australia, against $540 elsewhere. The steps are covered in the guide to moving from a 482 to a 186 visa.
The Pilbara DAMA
South-west of the Kimberley, the neighbouring Pilbara DAMA covers the City of Karratha, the Town of Port Hedland and the Shire of East Pilbara, with RDA Pilbara as the endorsing body.
Unregistered agents
An unregistered agent who gives immigration assistance on a sponsorship, nomination or visa is breaking the law (Migration Act 1958 s 280). They also carry no professional indemnity insurance, so if their mistake leads to a refusal, lost fees or a closed pathway, the worker or employer has no insurer to claim against. A practising Australian lawyer must carry that insurance.
Questions people ask
What occupations are included in the Kimberley DAMA occupation list?
More than 100 occupations at signing in 2022. The East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry publishes the current list, and no government page states the count.
Does the Kimberley DAMA cover Broome?
Yes. The WA Government's definition of the Kimberley DAMA region covers the Shires of Broome, Halls Creek, Derby-West Kimberley and Wyndham East Kimberley.
Can I get PR through the Kimberley DAMA?
Yes, where the employer's labour agreement includes the 186 Labour Agreement stream. The age and work terms for that step are set in the agreement.
How much does a DAMA visa cost in the Kimberley?
The worker pays the 482 charge of $4,015. The employer pays $330 per nomination and the Skilling Australians Fund levy. The Chamber's endorsement fee is not published on a government page.