Australia's largest independent migration law firm. Get a FREE Consultation T&C's apply
Need help? We are available 7 days a week.
Tell us about your situation, and our immigration lawyers will get back to you shortly.
Tell us about your situation, and our immigration lawyers will get back to you shortly.
Australia's largest independent migration law firm. Get a FREE Consultation T&C's apply
Need help? We are available 7 days a week.

2026 Telstra Best of Business Awards Nominee
Sponsor Skilled and Semi-Skilled Workers Across the Kimberley
If your Kimberley business is facing a skills shortage it cannot fill locally, this DAMA gives you access to a broader occupation list and concessions on standard visa requirements. It now covers four local government areas across the region, not just East Kimberley itself. At Australian Migration Lawyers, we guide Kimberley employers through the DAMA process, from endorsement through to visa grant.

Ranked Best Lawyers
2026 & 2027
.png)
Winner of the
Australian Law Awards
.webp)
Ranked Best Law
Firms Australia 2027

Ranked in Doyle’s
Guide Leading Immigration
Lawyers 2023-26
Tell us about your situation, and we will get back to you shortly.
Tell us about your situation, and we will get back to you shortly.
.webp)
This agreement began in April 2022 as the East Kimberley DAMA, covering only the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley. On 22 December 2023, the Designated Area Representative renamed it the Kimberley DAMA and expanded the designated area to include the Shire of Broome, Shire of Derby-West Kimberley, and Shire of Halls Creek, alongside the original Wyndham East Kimberley area.
The Department of Home Affairs' national list of current DAMAs still refers to this agreement by its original name, East Kimberley. This page uses that name for consistency with the national list and our hub page, while covering the DAMA's actual, current scope, which is broader than the name alone suggests.
The Designated Area Representative (DAR) is the East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EKCCI). EKCCI assesses employer endorsement applications on the region's behalf before the Department of Home Affairs considers a labour agreement request. The two approvals are separate, and endorsement does not guarantee that Home Affairs will approve the subsequent labour agreement or visa.
This DAMA is for employers, not individual workers. A worker cannot apply for a DAMA labour agreement independently and must have a genuine job offer from a business that already holds, or is seeking, endorsement under this DAMA. The position sought must be located within the designated area, not just the employer's business generally.
There are no hidden costs for our services. Our fees are clearly set out in a fee agreement.
From the first same-day response to the granting of your Australian visa, you’ll have direct access to a lawyer.
Our experienced lawyers will give you regular updates and clear explanations of visa pathways.
We offer a client satisfaction guarantee in relation to our visa application services.
3 - 6 months installment options available on some visa types.
To be endorsed by EKCCI, a business must show:
At least 12 months of operation within the designated area before seeking endorsement, with exceptions considered case by case, for example, where an established business has recently changed ownership
That the position being sought is genuinely located within the designated area
A genuine need for the occupation being sought, supported by evidence of local recruitment efforts
Which visa option it is seeking for each occupation or position, since the SID (Subclass 482), ENS (Subclass 186), and SESR (Subclass 494) pathways are each specified separately, or in combination, as part of the endorsement request
Compliance with standard sponsorship obligations under the Migration Regulations
To be sponsored under this DAMA, a worker generally needs:
A genuine, full-time job offer from a business that holds, or is actively seeking, DAR endorsement for this DAMA
An occupation listed on the current Kimberley DAMA Occupations and Concessions List, including a number of non-ANZSCO occupations specific to the region
Skills, qualifications, and experience matching the category assigned to the nominated occupation on the current list. Whether a skills assessment is mandatory depends on both the occupation's category and the visa pathway sought, the requirement isn't the same across every combination
English language test results meeting the standard visa requirement, or the concession available for the specific occupation
Health and character clearances

years of combined experience
.webp)
for Partner visas for genuine and continuing spousal relationships
.webp)
migration lawyers and migration agents representing clients at tribunal and court level
.webp)
law firm, recognised as leading migration lawyers and migration agents
Age Concession
English Language and Salary Concessions
An endorsement fee applies per position sought, with EKCCI members paying a lower rate than non-members. The exact current fee is set out in EKCCI's own fee schedule. Request this directly from EKCCI, or contact us and we can confirm the current fee for you.
The employer applies to EKCCI for endorsement, specifying which visa option (SID, ENS, SESR, or a combination) is sought for each occupation or position, with evidence of business operations, genuine need, and local recruitment efforts, along with the applicable endorsement fee.
Once endorsed, the employer applies to the Department of Home Affairs for a Kimberley DAMA labour agreement, valid for up to five years and able to be varied during its life to add occupations, positions, or concessions.
The employer nominates the specific position and worker, and the worker lodges a Subclass 482, 494, or 186 visa application against the approved nomination.
This DAMA includes a genuinely shortened pathway to permanent residency. A worker who holds a Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) visa granted under a Kimberley DAMA labour agreement may become eligible for a Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) visa after 2 years, rather than the standard 3. Time spent working in the same occupation in the designated area on a non-DAMA visa can also count toward this eligibility, and the Subclass 186 nomination itself requires separate endorsement.
A worker who holds a Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional) visa may become eligible for the Subclass 191 (Permanent Residence Skilled Regional) visa after the standard 3 years, this route does not require separate endorsement.
If your business operates in the Kimberley region and has a genuine skills shortage it cannot fill locally, our migration lawyers can confirm whether this DAMA applies to you and guide you through endorsement, labour agreement, and visa stages.







Our office brings nationally recognised immigration law expertise directly to the clients. Every award listed below was earned through independent assessment, including peer review, client feedback, and workplace audits. When you work with our immigration lawyers, you are working with a firm whose quality has been verified from the outside.

Australian Migration Lawyers is ranked in the 2027 Best Law Firms - Australia edition by Best Lawyers. Firm rankings are determined through client feedback, peer nominations, and overall market reputation. Inclusion confirms the firm delivers top-tier legal services in immigration law at a national level.

Perry Q. Wood is recognised in the 2027 Best Lawyers in Australia™ edition for Immigration Law. This ranking is awarded exclusively through confidential peer review by senior lawyers in the same practice area. It is the leading global legal directory benchmark.

Perry Q. Wood is ranked as a Leading Immigration Lawyer in Victoria in Doyle's Guide 2026. Four consecutive years of inclusion in Doyle's Guide establishes a verified, long-term record of excellence and peer recognition in Australian immigration law.

Partner

Partner - Legal & Medical/Health Practice Lead

Partner
.jpg)
Associate Partner - Australian Migration Lawyer

Accredited Specialist

Associate Partner - Australian Migration Lawyer

Special Counsel
%20(1).webp)
Head of Finance and Trust Accounting
%20(1).webp)
Chief Information Officer

Special Counsel

Head of Client Experience
.jpg)
Regions Manager

Senior Associate - Senior Australian Migration Lawyer

Senior Associate - Senior Australian Migration Lawyer

Senior Associate - Senior Australian Migration Lawyer

Senior Associate - Senior Australian Migration Lawyer
.jpg)
Senior Associate - Senior Australian Migration Lawyer
.jpg)
Senior Australian Migration Lawyer

Assistant Manager
%20(1)%20(1).webp)
Managing Associate – Australian Migration Lawyer
%20(1)%20(1).webp)
Managing Associate – Australian Migration Lawyer

Managing Associate - Australian Migration Lawyer
%20(1).webp)
Associate – Australian Migration Lawyer
%20(1).webp)
Associate - Australian Migration Lawyer
%20(1).webp)
Associate - Australian Migration Lawyer

Associate - Australian Migration Lawyer

Australian Migration Lawyer
.jpg)
Australian Migration Lawyer

Australian Migration Lawyer
%20(3).jpg)
Australian Migration Lawyer

Australian Migration Lawyer
.jpg)
Australian Migration Lawyer

Legal Secretary

Australian Legal Executive

Australian Legal Executive

Australian Legal Executive

Australian Legal Executive
%20(1).webp)
Australian Legal Executive

Australian Legal Executive
%20(1).webp)
Australian Legal Executive

Australian Legal Executive

Australian Legal Executive

Australian Legal Executive

Australian Legal Executive
%20(7).jpg)
Australian Legal Executive
.jpg)
Australian Legal Executive
.jpg)
Australian Legal Executive
.jpg)
Australian Legal Executive

Both names refer to the same agreement. The Department of Home Affairs' national list still uses "East Kimberley DAMA," while the East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry renamed it the "Kimberley DAMA" in December 2023 when it expanded the designated area.
No, not anymore. It covers four local government areas: the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley, Shire of Broome, Shire of Derby-West Kimberley, and Shire of Halls Creek.
The East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EKCCI) administers endorsement for this DAMA.
No, but every occupation does get one. Skill Level 1 to 4 occupations get an age concession up to 55, and Skill Level 5 occupations get one up to 50.
Yes, for the Subclass 482 to Subclass 186 pathway. Eligible workers may become eligible after 2 years, rather than the standard 3.
Tell us a little about your situation, and one of our migration lawyers will contact you as soon as possible.

*Terms only available for selected circumstances and visa types
Australian Migration Lawyers © 2026 - Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Legal Practitioner Number 5513032.
Important Information Regarding the Use of the Term 'Partner'
We are an incorporated legal practice which is a corporation for the purposes of the Corporations Act 2001. The use of the title ‘Partner’ by a lawyer in this practice is used to denote seniority and does not and is not intended to signify that the practice is contracting otherwise than as a corporation. For the avoidance of doubt, any such title does not and is not intended to signify that a partnership within the definition of the Partnership Act exists at law.
Our experienced migration lawyers are here to help —risk-free. Ask about our No Visa, No Fee options and we'll guide you through every step of your journey.