A NEW Federal Government plan to ease labour shortages will enable employers to hire foreign workers on salaries up to 10 per cent below standard rates for skilled migrants.

Employers will be allowed to seek lower pay rates and easier language tests for foreign workers who can meet an urgent demand for skills in regions that are losing staff.

The new rules were reportedly signed off this week and are set to be applied in Darwin, then offered to other areas experiencing an exodus of skilled workers leaving to join mining and gas companies.

Dozens of job categories will be covered including childcare workers, disability carers, mechanics, bricklayers, office managers, carpenters, chefs and nurses.

Employers of all sizes will be able to sponsor overseas staff on wages up to 10 per cent below the usual rates set for 457 skilled worker visas, using a new kind of migration agreement for areas under stress.