They have tertiary and postgraduate qualifications and often years of professional experience. And they’re desperately keen to contribute in ways that reflect their ambitions and skills.
But these 341,500 migrant and refugee women are working below their skill level and qualification in Australia.
That’s despite thousands having the qualifications for professions that are facing desperate skill shortages, including teaching, nursing, and engineering
Today at Women Deliver, the Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance (AMWA) is releasing a new report in partnership with Settlement Services International, drawing attention to the massive disconnect between what Australia’s workforce needs and how the country is recognising skills.
The report, based on a survey of migrant women, finds that just 41 per cent of migrant women are working in roles that align with their qualifications, and they earn 31 per cent less than Australia-born women with similar qualifications. Nearly one in three women surveyed said they want to return to their profession but feel structurally blocked from doing so.”
Malini Raj, Executive Director of AMWA, says Australia is underutilising the talent available here.
“Migrant and refugee women arrive in Australia with tertiary and postgraduate qualifications, years of professional experience, and a strong desire to contribute. We do not have a shortage of skills, we have a failure of the systems designed to recognise them.”
They’re being sidelined, she says, due to slow, costly and difficult-to-navigate systems which are also not gender-responsive.
“Migrant women are also 20% more likely to be under-utilised than migrant men in a system designed for someone with time, money and flexibility. That is not the reality for many migrant women,” she said.
The Activate Her Skill report outlines a number of recommendations for reform, including appointing a commissioner to oversee the system and address barriers, providing support with skills assessment and a new online skills recognition portal.
The report doesn’t just point out what is broken, but also offers clear solutions and recommendations for reform, including the appointment of a commissioner to oversee the system and address barriers, support for skills assessments, and the creation of an online skills recognition portal.
“When migrant women can work in their professions, families are stronger, services improve, and businesses gain desperately needed talent. It’s a win for women, a win for employers and a win for our economy,” Raj said.
Some of the main barriers identified by those surveyed include time delays (59%), costs (56%), rigid and paperwork-heavy processes (37%) and confusing and unclear pathways (27%).
The report will be officially launched at a lunch in Melbourne today, on the sidelines of the Women Deliver conference.