NT’s Designated Area Migration Agreement extended as skills shortages bite

A visa scheme aiming to attract skilled migrant workers to the Territory has been welcomed as a ‘godsend’, as skills shortages continue to bite key industries.

The federal government has extended a visa program aimed at drawing skilled migrant workers to the Territory.

A one-year extension to the existing Designated Area Migration Agreement will cover up to 625 temporary skilled visas, which allow local businesses to sponsor foreign workers and provide more expansive pathways to permanent residency.

It also sets a minimum wage which will rise from $48,000 to $55,000 next year.

More than 280 employers could benefit from the scheme targeting skills shortages in jobs such as care workers, nurses, teachers and chefs.

Darwin Trailer Boat Club General Manager Alex Ehrlich welcomed the visa scheme as ‘a godsend’. Picture: Fia Walsh

Darwin Trailer Boat Club general manager Alex Ehrlich welcomed the scheme as “a godsend”.

“Hospitality’s one of the cornerstones in Darwin’s economy and the skill sets are often missing,” he said.

“It’s hard to get people to do the job and the DAMA program allows us to get people who normally wouldn’t be able to work in Australia to actually stay and become part of the team.”

Mr Ehrlich said finding workers to staff his busy venue had at times been “near impossible”.

“Sometimes the sense is there is no one out there.”

Mr Ehrlich had hired eight people through the visa scheme to date, with three of them still employed at the club at the and hoping to stay “for many more years”.

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, Solomon MP Luke Gosling, Jobs Minister Joel Bowden, Federal Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, and Chief Minister Natasha Fyles sign an extension to the DAMA visa program bringing skilled migrant workers to the NT. Picture: Fia Walsh

It was not confirmed how many workers had come to the Territory under the DAMA scheme this year.

Federal Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, in Darwin for the announcement, said it was the result of “close collaboration” between the Territory and Commonwealth governments.

“The Albanese Government is bringing governments, businesses and unions together to build a migration system that works in the interests of all Territorians,” he said.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the scheme would help incentivise workers to stay in the NT.

“The Northern Territory is bursting with opportunity. The economy is going in the right direction, we just need to make sure we have the working population to make sure we stay competitive,” she said.

“We want to help more businesses find staff to make sure business keeps moving. This is not about just encouraging people to move to the Territory for the short term, we want to incentivise them to stay.”

Newly minted Jobs Minister Joel Bowden said the year-long extension would “make sure we continue to have a rolling number of skilled workers”.

“We will continue to work with the federal government and local businesses to address ongoing worker shortages, grow our population through international migration, while delivering a skilled and diverse workforce,” he said.