Our communities need skilled migrants for skills gaps in Australia.
So why do skilled migrants face impossible barriers?
Rebecca Power, CEO Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre
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Since joining Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre as CEO, I have learned many things. But the one thing that has surprised me the most is the fact that our skilled migrants are often our most unhappy. Why? Because despite having come to Australia to work hard and use their skills to help our communities, they are unable to do so.
How did we get here? The formulae seems, on the face of it, a simple and positive one. We have skills gaps, we actively seek qualified people from countries around the world to meet these gaps and we provide visas, systems and processes to facilitate their migration. We all benefit.
Easy right?
Well, no, apparently not.
Skilled migrants face barriers that, frankly, serve no one. Not the Australian economy, not the community and not the migrants themselves.
DID YOU KNOW: 44% of skilled migrants are underemployed. Having come to Australia with the professional qualifications and skills that we need, they are unable to work in the areas they are trained for.
Why? There are so many factors. Some are required to be ‘re-trained’ at significant expense, others find it hard to secure roles as they ‘lack local experience’, or their qualifications – accepted by the system – are viewed with mistrust by employers. Many face an expensive and complex process to have qualifications recognised.
And of course, discrimination exists. How often have we heard of people having to change their name to a more Anglo-sounding one, just to get past the initial selection process?
Our skilled migration system has to go two ways. There is no doubt that it benefits the Australian economy, but what is the upside to our much-needed migrants?
Skilled migrants on average earn 10% less that their Australian counterparts in the first 2-6 years of migration, and this is even worse for women. Female skilled migrants typically earn one third less that Australian born women.
It is clear that our system needs to not only attract skilled migrants, but to support the ones that we have already living in Australia, to be able to live and work here. For everybody’s benefit.
Recently I was sitting on a Zoom call with hundreds of other Aged Care providers to focus on ways to address our workforce challenges. Many people lamented the fact that skilled migration had ‘failed them’ and did not work. After going through the hurdles of recruiting overseas, many skilled workers faced impossible barriers when they finally arrived in Australia ready to work. Impacted by isolation, lack of access or information about services, and experiencing very little support, many skilled workers found it impossible to remain in Australia long-term.
This was especially prevalent in regional areas.
I had to ask – What systems are in place to support the migrants’ experience? Had we planned for and supported the integration of the workers? Did we consider the social and cultural needs of new arrivals? Had anybody helped them to navigate not just the work system but other essential life admin, like enrolling their kids in school or accessing health care?
I didn’t ask these questions to shame the individuals, but to highlight how broken our system is.
Imagine a system that supported skilled migration, both from the employers perspective AND the migrants. A system that facilitated a positive experience and that unlocked the full impact of the skills we already have right here in Australia, through our skilled migrants.
It does exist and it starts with the Activate Australia’s Skills campaign.
Four easy steps to improve our skilled migration system. To help Australia’s skilled migrants do the jobs they are qualified to do, to benefit our community.
So join the campaign, add your signature and advocate – it just makes sense.
Sign the open letter today: activateaustralia.org.au/sign-our-open-letter