A labour agreement is an agreement between the Australian Government and an employer that lets the employer sponsor overseas workers on a 482 visa outside the standard occupation list and criteria, where it shows a need Australian workers cannot fill; it is generally in effect for 5 years and costs nothing to request. There are three main types (a company-specific agreement negotiated by one employer, one of ten industry labour agreements with fixed terms, and a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) covering one of 13 regions), and each sets its own occupations, concessions and yearly cap (Home Affairs, labour agreements pages). The first step is to check whether an industry agreement or a DAMA already covers the need, because Home Affairs does not consider a company-specific agreement where one does.
| Type | Who negotiates it | Terms | What it can vary | Typical length | First step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company-specific labour agreement | The employer, with Home Affairs | Negotiated, within the template’s example concessions | English, age, salary and work experience, each argued in a business case; positions at ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 4 (level 5 in Category 3 regional areas in exceptional cases) | Generally 5 years | Show the need, consult stakeholders, lodge the request |
| Industry labour agreement | Industry representative bodies, with Home Affairs | Fixed and non-negotiable for employers | Set per industry: occupations, English, salary, experience, and age for the 186 | Generally 5 years | Meet the industry’s conditions, including any endorsement |
| Designated Area Migration Agreement | A designated area representative (a state or territory government or regional authority) holds the head agreement | The head agreement’s terms | Occupations and concessions to English, salary, age and more, published by each representative | Head agreement and employer agreements generally 5 years each | Endorsement by the designated area representative |
| Project agreement | Project companies in the construction phase of resource or infrastructure projects | Negotiated | Not published | Not published | Email the Labour Agreement Section first (projects endorsed under the China-Australia Investment Facilitation Agreement) |
| Global Talent Employer Sponsored | Accredited sponsors (Established Business stream) or start-ups | Set scheme terms | A higher earnings threshold than the standard 482, with negotiable variations | Not published | Home Affairs Global Talent Scheme page |
| Item | Amount | Applies from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual term of a labour agreement | 5 years | current | Home Affairs: labour agreements overview |
| 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 |
What is a labour agreement?
The Home Affairs labour agreements overview (updated 4 May 2026) sets two conditions: a demonstrated need that the Australian labour market cannot meet, and no standard temporary or permanent visa program available. An agreement can feed the 482, the 186 and the 494. A business can hold standard business sponsorship and a labour agreement at the same time, and its nominations are capped by the agreement’s yearly ceiling (regulation 2.72(19) of the Migration Regulations 1994). It is the route a business takes when the ordinary company sponsored visa steps do not fit.
The Essential Skills stream announced in December 2024 as “under development” is not in the Migration Regulations as compiled from 1 July 2026; the Labour Agreement stream is the one in force.
Which industry labour agreements exist?
The Home Affairs industry labour agreements page (updated 23 June 2026) lists ten:
- Advertising
- Aged care
- Dairy
- Fishing
- Horticulture
- Meat
- Minister of Religion
- On-hire
- Pork
- Restaurant (premium dining)
Two have special entry conditions. The advertising agreement needs endorsement from the Media Federation of Australia and Advertising Council Australia. The aged care agreement gives streamlined access to providers that hold a memorandum of understanding with the relevant unions; its terms are covered under the aged care industry labour agreement page. The restaurant agreement is only for premium dining restaurants with revenue of at least $2 million a year.
Home Affairs publishes a list of current labour agreements, current as at 31 August 2026. This guide does not list employers.
How does a DAMA differ?
A DAMA is a regional agreement with four features, according to the Home Affairs DAMA page (updated 24 September 2026):
- Two tiers. A head agreement of 5 years with the region’s designated area representative, then individual labour agreements with employers under its terms.
- 13 in place, from the Northern Territory and Western Australia to regional areas of South Australia, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales.
- Regional concessions. Each head agreement sets its own occupations and concessions, which the representative publishes, not Home Affairs.
- No overlap with industry agreements. A DAMA is not endorsed where an industry labour agreement covers the industry.
Each region’s occupations and concessions are compared under DAMA visa requirements.
What concessions can an agreement give?
A company-specific agreement can ask for concessions on four criteria, according to the Home Affairs company specific labour agreements page:
- English language.
- Age, where relevant.
- Salary.
- Work experience.
Each concession needs strong reasons, and Home Affairs will not apply a concession that creates unequal conditions or pay between overseas and Australian workers in equivalent roles. Requests beyond the example concessions in the template are unlikely to be approved.
Industry agreements fix their concessions. The aged care agreement sets its own English scores, and the dairy, fishing, meat and pork agreements allow applicants under 55 for the 186 and 494 in Category 2 and 3 regional areas. Labour market testing applies only where the agreement requires it: in Category 2 locations, 2 ads within 12 months before lodgement; none for the Minister of Religion agreement; and a union memorandum of understanding for aged care.
What salary floor applies?
| Agreement | Salary floor (Home Affairs industry labour agreements page) |
|---|---|
| Aged care | At least $51,222 guaranteed annual earnings, or the market rate if higher |
| Advertising | At least $85,000 guaranteed annual earnings |
| On-hire | At least 20% above the TSMIT of $79,423, and not less than an equivalent Australian’s pay |
| Dairy, fishing and meat | The standard salary rules, but in Category 3 regional locations earnings can be 90% of $79,423 for the 482 and 186 (90% of the TSMIT for the 494) |
| Pork | The standard salary rules, but in Category 3 regional locations earnings can be 90% of the TSMIT |
| Horticulture | An equivalent Australian’s pay, and at least 90% of the relevant threshold |
| Minister of Religion | The standard rules, with a possible reduced-threshold or vow of poverty concession |
| Item | Amount | Applies from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum guaranteed annual earnings under the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement (or the market rate if higher) | $51,222 | 23 June 2026 | Home Affairs: industry labour agreements |
| Minimum guaranteed annual earnings under the Advertising Industry Labour Agreement | $85,000 | 23 June 2026 | Home Affairs: industry labour agreements |
| Margin above TSMIT that 482 earnings must reach under the on-hire industry labour agreement | 20% | 23 June 2026 | Home Affairs: industry labour agreements |
| Salary floor in Category 3 regional locations under the dairy, fishing, horticulture, meat and pork industry labour agreements (share of the CSIT, or TSMIT for a 494) | 90% | 23 June 2026 | Home Affairs: industry labour agreements |
| Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), now used for the 494 and 187 | $79,423 | 1 July 2026 | Home Affairs: salary requirements |
| Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) | $79,423 | 1 July 2026 | Home Affairs: salary requirements |
The on-hire floor is the one place the old threshold still sets a 482 salary; how it is set is explained under TSMIT salary. Company-specific and DAMA salary floors are set in each agreement.
How do you request an agreement?
For a company-specific agreement, the requirements on the Home Affairs company specific labour agreements page fall into six steps:
- Show an exceptional need: the niche skills sought, many and varied recruitment efforts, and a detailed job description with tasks.
- Show that overseas workers will be no more than one-third of the total workforce, with a plan to train and employ Australians.
- Show the business is Australian-registered and in good standing, has operated lawfully and actively in Australia for at least 12 months, is financially viable on an accountant’s evidence, has no adverse information and is not insolvent.
- Consult the industry body, the relevant union and any affected community group, giving them 10 working days to respond and a further 5 working days after a follow-up.
- Lodge the request with detailed information on the consultation; a request without consultation is returned without assessment.
- Once the agreement is made, nominate workers within its yearly cap.
For an industry agreement, the employer meets the published terms and any endorsement. For a DAMA, the employer first gains the representative’s endorsement, then lodges the labour agreement request in ImmiAccount. There is no charge to request any agreement.
An Australian migration lawyer makes a successful request more likely here because a company-specific agreement rests on a business case, a stakeholder consultation and evidence that no industry agreement or DAMA fits, and a request lodged without the consultation is returned unassessed. No adviser can promise an approval.
Which visa stream do workers use?
Workers nominated under an agreement use the Labour Agreement stream of the 482, with these rules (Home Affairs Labour Agreement stream page):
- The nominated occupation is named in the agreement.
- At least 1 year of relevant experience in the last 5 years, unless the agreement says otherwise.
- English as the agreement specifies.
- A stay of up to 4 years, but not beyond the agreement’s terms, working only for the nominating employer (condition 8607).
- The $4,015 visa charge, and the levy on the nomination; only ministers of religion and religious assistants pay a nil levy.
- Permanent residence through the 186 Labour Agreement stream, where the agreement allows.
Home Affairs published 50% of Labour Agreement stream visa applications decided in 7 months and 90% in 10 months on 24 September 2026. The worker’s criteria are set out in full under the Labour Agreement stream.
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.
In this section
Questions people ask
What is a labour agreement?
An agreement between the Australian Government and an employer that allows sponsorship outside the standard occupation list and criteria, where the employer shows a need Australian workers cannot fill and standard programs are not available.
What are the current labor agreements in Australia?
Ten industry labour agreements, 13 designated area migration agreements, and individual company-specific and project agreements. Home Affairs publishes a list of current labour agreements on its website.
How much does a labour agreement cost?
Nothing to request. The costs arise at the nomination and visa stages, where the $330 nomination fee, the Skilling Australians Fund levy and the $4,015 visa charge apply.
What is the 482 labour agreement?
It is the Labour Agreement stream of the 482 visa, used by workers nominated by an employer that has a labour agreement with the Australian Government.
Can you provide a list of labour agreements in Australia?
Home Affairs publishes a list of current labour agreements. This guide explains the types of agreement rather than listing employers.