The Adelaide City Technology and Innovation DAMA: A Guide for Tech Employers
Adelaide has built a defence, space and advanced manufacturing cluster. Hiring has not kept pace. The Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement Designated Area Migration Agreement exists for that gap.
This guide uses figures published by the state Designated Area Representative, plus Commonwealth figures from Home Affairs. For the national picture, start with our DAMA overview.
DAMA terms checked on 12 September 2026. Terms are reviewed each year, so confirm current settings with the DAR before you act.
One DAR, two very different agreements
South Australia runs two DAMAs. Skilled and Business Migration, inside the Department of State Development, administers both.
The South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement is the broad one. It covers the entire state, with a list past 300 occupations. We cover it in our regional South Australia guide.
The Adelaide City agreement is the narrow one. It is built around technology rather than agriculture or resources. The DAR aims it at defence, space, and advanced manufacturing employers.
Where the Adelaide City agreement applies
This agreement covers the Adelaide Metropolitan region only. Every occupation entry we checked names the same availability, Greater Adelaide. A business outside Greater Adelaide, however, uses the regional list.
What is on the occupation list
We counted 57 occupation entries under the Adelaide City Agreement on 12 September 2026. Eight categories appear, from chief executives and specialist managers to design, science and ICT professionals.
For example, the list carries Chief Information Officer, ICT Project Manager, Web Developer and Naval Architect. Science roles feature heavily too, for example Biotechnologist, Microbiologist and Medical Laboratory Scientist.
In addition, nine entries are non-ANZSCO roles, coded 070499. They cover newer titles such as Clinical Researcher, Data and Analytics Manager and Senior Digital Artist. For those roles, the DAR can act as the skills assessor.
Every entry sits at skill level 1 or skill level 2. So this is a professional list, not a semi-skilled one.
The concessions, and the ones that do not apply
Age and the permanent pathway
An age concession appears on all 57 entries. For the 494 and the 186, the nominee must be under 55 at nomination, not the usual 45. The 482 itself carries no age limit.
A lead engineer of 48, for example, may still reach permanent residence here. Our DAMA permanent residency pathway guide covers the timing.
Work experience
A reduced experience requirement also appears on all 57 entries. One year can support a 482 or 494 nomination. That applies where the nominee gained the AQF qualification in Australia. Otherwise two years applies for the 494, and three years for the 186. Australian graduates therefore gain the most here.
Salary and English
Here the list differs from every other DAMA in this series. No salary concession appears on any of the 57 entries. No English concession appears on any of them either.
The DAR does publish a concession framework for South Australia. It sets three salary types and three English types. Those settings, however, run occupation by occupation, and none applies here.
Full Commonwealth salary rules therefore apply. Home Affairs confirmed the CSIT and the TSMIT at AUD79,423. That figure covers nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. The market salary rate must still be met.
The figures at a glance
| Item | Adelaide City Technology and Innovation Advancement DAMA |
|---|---|
| Covered area | Adelaide Metropolitan region, shown as Greater Adelaide on every entry |
| Occupations | 57 entries on the DAR list, 12 September 2026 |
| Salary concession | None, so the full CSIT or TSMIT applies |
| English concession | None on this list |
| Age concession | Under 55 for the 494 and the 186 |
| Experience concession | One year for the 482 or 494 with an Australian AQF qualification |
| Annual ceiling | Set per business and per year, not published |
| DAR fee | None for endorsement, variation or agreement |
How endorsement works
First, confirm the business qualifies. It must operate lawfully in South Australia for at least 12 months, and it must be financially viable. The nominating business must also be the direct employer.
Second, read the DAMA terms and conditions. Third, build the document pack. It includes an accountant’s letter, financial reports, an organisational chart and the employment contract. Fourth, lodge through the Skilled and Business Migration portal. Watch the clock, because an unsubmitted application deletes itself after 14 days.
Labour market testing also sits inside that pack. The DAR asks for at least two advertisements from the last 12 months. Each must run 28 days on a platform with national reach. Where the base salary is under AUD96,400, the advertisement must also show the salary range.
A successful application produces an endorsement letter. The employer then lodges the labour agreement request in ImmiAccount. Endorsement does not guarantee an agreement, and no review rights apply.
What it costs
The DAR charges nothing. No fee applies to endorsement, to a variation, or to the labour agreement itself.
Commonwealth costs still apply. On 12 September 2026, Home Affairs confirmed sponsorship at AUD420. A 482 nomination costs AUD330, while a 186 nomination costs AUD540. The Skilling Australians Fund levy then adds AUD1,200 or AUD1,800 a year for the 482. For the 186 and the 494, it adds AUD3,000 or AUD5,000 once. Turnover decides which figure applies. Employers cannot pass the levy to the worker.
Traps to plan around
Labour hire firms cannot use this agreement, because the nominating business must employ the worker directly. Self sponsorship is not supported either. Where a trust runs the business, the trustee applies.
Variations are limited to one in each year of the agreement, and none in the first six months. Plan the headcount early, therefore.
An Industry Labour Agreement also takes priority. Where one covers your industry, the DAMA is closed for that occupation.
Finally, the 186 needs patience. The nominee must first hold the 482 under the SA DAMA for two years. Employers can flag those places early, or request them later by variation. For comparison, see our guides to the Victorian DAMAs and the Orana DAMA in regional NSW.
Frequently asked questions
Which South Australian DAMA should a tech business use?
It depends on the occupation and the location. The Adelaide City agreement covers the Adelaide Metropolitan region and 57 technology focused occupations. The regional agreement covers the whole state and a much longer list.
Does the Adelaide City DAMA reduce the salary threshold?
No. On the DAR list checked on 12 September 2026, no occupation carries a salary concession. Home Affairs set both the CSIT and the TSMIT at AUD79,423. That covers nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. The market salary rate must also be met.
What is the age concession under the Adelaide City DAMA?
Every occupation on the list carries one. For the 494 and the 186, the nominee must be under 55 at nomination. The 482 itself has no age limit, although the age rule returns at the permanent stage.
What does the South Australian DAR charge for endorsement?
Nothing. Skilled and Business Migration charges no fee for endorsement, for a variation or for the labour agreement. Commonwealth nomination charges, the Skilling Australians Fund levy and visa application charges still apply.
Sam Kanjo, Migration Lawyer, Skyline Migration Lawyers, Melbourne.
Occupation counts, concessions and process steps come from the South Australian DAR, checked on 12 September 2026. Terms change on review, so confirm current settings with the DAR before you lodge.
Thinking about a DAMA labour agreement in Adelaide? We can review your occupation, your evidence and your timing. Call us on 03 8108 8748 or email info@skylinemigrationlawyers.com.au.
This article is general information only. It is not legal advice, and it does not create a lawyer and client relationship. Migration law changes often, so seek advice tailored to your circumstances.
