Concessions

Under the RDA Orana DAMA, specific variations to the eligibility requirements have been negotiated between RDA Orana and the Australian Government. These arrangements allow some flexibility to recruit staff members who may not quite meet the standard visa criteria but are still able to safely perform the functions of the intended role.

Please note: All concessions need to be applied for. Please request it in your application if needed.

Not all concessions are available for all roles, and for some roles, there are no available concessions.  For more information on the types of concessions, please refer to the relevant tables on each concession page listed below.

The available concessions are:

For all occupations on the Orana DAMA Occupations list, a permanent residence pathway may be available through the ENS (subclass 186) visa, after having lived and worked in the Orana region for three years on a TSS visa granted under the Orana DAMA.

There are some additional requirements. If you require further information please contact dama@rdaorana.org.au.

The Orana DAMA now has age concessions available. These depend on skill level. 

  • For occupations with Skill Level 1-4, an age concession of up to 55 years of age is available.
  • For occupations with Skill Level 5, the age concession is up to 50 years of age.

For all skilled migration visas, the nominee is required to meet English language requirements. Visa applicants demonstrate their English language levels by undergoing accepted English language tests. Exemptions from testing apply for some applicants.

The concessions available for the English language will vary depending on the substantive visa being applied for under the DAMA. The Orana DAMA Occupation List shows the occupations where an English concession is available, further detail is outlined in the table below.

For the Occupations that are eligible for the English Language concession, the following applies:

  • TSS and SESR: average score of IELTS 5.0 with no minimum component (unless registration or licensing requires a higher level of English)
  • ENS: average score of IELTS 5.0 with no component being less than IELTS 4.0 or equivalent (unless registration or licensing requires a higher level of English).

Employers seeking an English concession for an occupation need to provide reasoning as part of their endorsement application. This should explain why a lower level of English language is acceptable for the requested occupation. Consideration should be given to how any workplace safety risks will be managed for workers with lower levels of English.

The TSMIT value is set by legislation to ensure that migrant workers can financially support themselves in Australia and acknowledges the additional costs temporary residents incur (such as health care and education costs). The current value of the TSMIT is $73,150 excluding superannuation.

When calculating whether the salary paid by an employer meets the TSMIT, annual earnings may consist of the base salary plus guaranteed earnings such as housing, company car, and guaranteed overtime where this is the industry standard. If an employer intends to include these guaranteed earnings to meet TSMIT requirements, they must be valued and written into the agreed employment contract.

The use of concessions must not undermine relevant industrial awards nor market salary rates for an equivalent Australian employee in the same location.

There are two TSMIT concessions available under the Orana DAMA

Type 1

Businesses must demonstrate that annual monetary earnings will be at least 90% of TSMIT while also meeting Award requirements and Annual Market Salary Rate expectations for the specific occupation and location.

Type 2

Businesses must demonstrate that monetary earnings will be at least 90% of TSMIT and non-monetary earnings (food and board) must not be more than 10% of TSMIT, with the total package being at least equal to the TSMIT.

There are very specific rules as to what constitutes eligible non-monetary earnings:

  • The benefits must relate to the actual living costs of the employee, and they would have genuinely been paid by the employee had the employer not paid them
  • The benefit must be measurable (and able to be documented/verified)
  • The benefit must be guaranteed in the employment contract and must be consistent with that of other, similar employees
  • The benefit excludes non-guaranteed overtime, bonuses, and commissions.

As per Concession Type 1, total earnings must also at least meet award requirements and Annual Market Salary Rate expectations for the specific occupation and location. To find out more about guaranteed overtime and how it may apply, contact us via dama@rdaorana.org.au

The table below outlines which occupations under the Orana DAMA are eligible for the TSMIT concessions outlined above.

ANZSCO Code Occupation Skill Level TSMIT Concession English Language Concessions Age Concessions
551111 Accounts Clerk 4 YES NO YES (55)
423111 Aged or Disabled Carer 4 YES NO YES (55)
721111 Agricultural and Horticultural Mobile Plant Operator 4 YES YES YES (55)
311111 Agricultural T3echnician 2 YES YES YES (55)
253211 Anaesthetist 1 NO NO YES (55)
121311 Apiarist 1 NO NO YES (55)
311114 Aquaculture or Fisheries Technician 2 NO NO YES (55)
841111/842111 Aquaculture Worker 5 YES YES YES (50)
321111 Automotive Electrician 3 NO YES YES (55)
721212 Backhoe Operator 4 YES YES YES (55)
351111 Baker 3 NO NO YES (55)
831111 Baking Factory Worker 5 YES YES YES (50)
712911 Boiler or Engine Worker 5 YES YES YES (55)
551211 Bookkeeper 3 YES NO YES (55)
331111 Bricklayer 3 NO NO YES (55)
712912 Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator 4 YES YES YES (55)
721213 Bulldozer Operator 4 YES YES YES (55)
351211 Butcher or Smallgoods Maker 3 YES YES YES (55)
394111 Cabinetmaker 3 NO NO YES (55)
141111 Cafe or Restaurant Manager 2 YES NO YES (55)
331212Carpenter3NONOYES (55)
351311Chef2NOYESYES (55)
399211Chemical Plant Operator3NONOYES (55)
421111Child Care Group Leader2NONOYES (55)
421111Child Care Worker3YESNOYES (55)
233211Civil Engineer1NONOYES (55)
272311Clinical Psychologist1NONOYES (55)
263111Computer Network and Systems Engineer1NONOYES (55)
133111Construction Project Manager1NONOYES (55)
351411Cook3YESYESYES (55)
121313Dairy Cattle Farmer1NONOYES (55)
831114Dairy Products Maker5YESYESYES (50)
732111Delivery Driver4YESYESYES (55)
411211Dental Hygienist1NONOYES (55)
253312Dentist1NONOYES (55)
321212Diesel Motor Mechanic3NOYESYES (55)
712211Driller4NONOYES (55)
241111Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher1NONOYES (55)
721211Earthmoving Plant Operator (General)4NONOYES (55)
233311Electrical Engineer1NONOYES (55)
342211Electrical Linesworker3NONOYES (55)
341111Electrician (General)3NONOYES (55)
341112Electrician (Special Class)3NONOYES (55)
253912Emergency Medicine Specialist1NONOYES (55)
712311Engineering Production Worker4NOYESYES (55)
411411Enrolled Nurse2NONOYES (55)
721214Excavator Operator4YESYESYES (55)
323211Fitter (General)3NOYESYES (55)
323212Fitter and Turner3NOYESYES (55)
234212Food Technologist1NONOYES (55)
721311Forklift Driver4YESYESYES (55)
832113Fruit and Vegetable Packer5YESYESYES (50)
841212Fruit or Nut Picker5YESYESYES (50)
531111General Clerk4YESNOYES (55)
253111General Practitioner1NONOYES (55)
721215Grader Operator4YESYESYES (55)
831116Grain Mill Worker5YESYESYES (50)
121215Graper Grower1NONOYES (55)
142114Hair or Beauty Salon Manager2NONOYES (55)
363114Horticultural Supervisor3NONOYES (55)
149999Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers nec2YESNOYES (55)
141311Hotel or Motel Manager2NONOYES (55)
721216Loader Operator4YESYESYES (55)
133411Manufacturer1NONOYES (55)
831211Meat Boner and Slicer4NOYESYES (55)
831311Meat Process Worker5YESYESYES (50)
312512Mechanical Engineering Technician2NONOYES (55)
234611Medical Laboratory Scientist1YESYESYES (55)
311213Medical Laboratory Technician2NONOYES (55)
322311Metal Fabricator3NOYESYES (55)
323299Metal Fitters and Machinists nec3NOYESYES (55)
323214Metal Machinist (First Class)3NOYESYES (55)
712212Miner4NOYESYES (55)
121411Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmer1NONOYES (55)
842499Mixed Production Farm Workers nec5YESNOYES (50)
721999Mobile Plant Operators nec4YESYESYES (55)
321211Motor Mechanic (General)3YESYESYES (55)
423312Nursing Support Worker4YESNOYES (55)
252411Occupational Therapist1NONOYES (55)
512111Office Manager2NONOYES (55)
332211Painting Trades Worker/Painter3NONOYES (55)
324111Panel Beater3YESYESYES (55)
712916Paper and Pulp Mill Operator4NONOYES (55)
711311Paper Products Machine Operator4NOYESYES (55)
351112Pastry Cook3YESYESYES (55)
551311Payroll Clerk4YESNOYES (55)
521111Personal Assistant2YESNOYES (55)
423313Personal Care Assistant4YESNOYES (55)
311215Pharmacy Technician2YESNOYES (55)
252511Physiotherapist1NONOYES (55)
334111Plumber (General)3NONOYES (55)
121321Poultry Farmer1NONOYES (55)
241213Primary School Teacher1NONOYES (55)
392311Printing Machinist3NONOYES (55)
133512Production Manager (Manufacturing)1NONOYES (55)
254412Registered Nurse (Aged Care)1NONOYES (55)
254415Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency)1NONOYES (55)
254499Registered Nurse nec1NONOYES (55)
254423Registered Nurse (Perioperative)1NONOYES (55)
254424Registered Nurse (Surgical)1NONOYES (55)
253112Resident Medical Officer1NONOYES (55)
411715Residential Care Officer2YESNOYES (55)
251513Retail Pharmacist1NONOYES (55)
831313Seafood Process Worker5YESYESYES (50)
241411Secondary School Teacher1NONOYES (55)
363115Senior Broadacre Crop and Livestock Farm Worker3NONOYES (55)
363116Senior Broadacre Crop Farm Worker3NONOYES (55)
442217Security Officer4YESNOYES (55)
831212Slaughterer4NOYESYES (55)
272511Social Worker1NONOYES (55)
252712Speech Pathologist1NONOYES (55)
331112Stonemason3YESYESYES (55)
741111Storeperson4YESYESYES (55)
312116Surveying or Spatial Science Technician2NONOYES (55)
232212Surveyor1NONOYES (55)
423314Therapy Aide4NONOYES (55)
733111Truck Driver - general4NOYESYES (55)
841215/842221Vegetable Picker5YESYESYES (50)
324311Vehicle Painter3YESYESYES (55)
234711Veterinarian1NONOYES (55)
361311Veterinary Nurse3YESNOYES (55)
242211Vocational Education Teacher1NONOYES (55)
431511Waiter (Food and Beverage Attendant)4YESNOYES (55)
333411Wall and Floor Tiler3NONOYES (55)
712921Waste Water or Water Plant Operator4NONOYES (55)
322313Welder (first class)3NOYESYES (55)
272613Welfare Worker1NONOYES (55)
234213Wine Maker1NONOYES (55)
831118Winery Cellar Hand5YESYESYES (50)