Workers from 117 fields will be eligible to move to the Northern Territory under a new skilled migration agreement between the federal and Territory governments.

The agreement hopes to fill skills shortages and boost the population of the Territory, under the government's new population strategy.

The five-year Designated Area Migration Agreement will be signed this week, ahead of the first agreement's expiry on December 31.

Northern Territory Workforce Training Minister Selena Uibo said the first agreement was successful in helping businesses to recruit workers.

"Access to, and retention of, a suitably skilled workforce is a key issue for many employers and our government recognises the need to support recruitment for local businesses," she said.

Ms Uibo said 117 skilled and semi-skilled occupations have been listed, and employers will need to demonstrate they cannot find a local worker before they apply to sponsor a foreign employee.

"Every Territorian benefits when we attract more people to the Territory," she said.

"More people means more jobs and a stronger economy, which means better schools, better hospitals and more police."