The Billion Dollar Benefit campaign is a movement of individuals and organisations committed to reducing employment barriers so skilled refugees and migrants can work in their fields of expertise and contribute billions of dollars to the Australian economy.
We are a wide-ranging advocacy coalition – spanning employers, unions, peak bodies, research institutions and NGOs – united in our mission to support skilled refugees and migrants to achieve their full economic potential.
We consulted 50 experts across five sectors on the most impactful solutions to reduce the employment barriers facing skilled refugees and migrants. We agreed on five priority solutions to implement by 2025:
By tapping into the expertise and experience of refugees and migrants already in Australia, we can add billions to the Australian economy, plug critical skills gaps, and provide employment opportunities for newcomers to Australia. It’s a win-win-win scenario.
Breaking down barriers to refugee and migrant employment isn’t a job for government alone, although government plays an important role. It is a responsibility and opportunity shared by employers, non-government organisations, unions, refugee-led organisations, and all levels of government.
Australia’s system to recognise overseas qualifications and skills is not working. It needs a significant overhaul. The good news – we know how.
“I had experience as an engineer overseas and then I did my masters here in Australia. But it was still difficult to get a job in my field. I ended up driving Uber to make ends meet. At times I wondered if I would ever get a job as an engineer. I am very happy now working as a flood damage recovery engineer in Horsham. It is a great relief to get work in my field and use my skills.” – Mohammad Hassaan Masood, an engineer from Pakistan who found his dream job working in his field in regional Australia.”
For too many skilled migrants, their excitement to live and work in Australia is quickly replaced by the stress of navigating a complex recognition system of more than 34 authorities spanning 450 occupations. This complexity deters many migrants from applying for recognition altogether. Even those who do apply often face a severe risk of de-skilling because of how slow and time-consuming the process can be.
“No single person should control both your passport and your paycheck – it’s a recipe for exploitation. We need to end migrant worker exploitation once and for all, and that starts with ensuring employers have less control over someone’s visa status.” – Violet Roumeliotis, CEO of Settlement Services International.”
Ending the exploitation of migrant workers is important, first and foremost, to prevent the suffering of affected workers and to uphold their rights. Protecting migrant workers is also key to Australia’s reputation.
According to a survey of more than 700 temporary visa holders, almost two thirds reported being paid less than the minimum standards, and a quarter reported other forms of workplace exploitation like forced or unpaid overtime. There are even reports of employers withholding a visa holder’s passport. This is unacceptable.
The Australian government should conduct a review into the right to work for people on temporary visas, with a view to ensuring people seeking asylum can work while their applications are processed.
Denying work rights often leads to a loss of skills, increases reliance on the social welfare system, prevents newcomers feeling included, and makes it harder to break into the job market at a later stage. Inconsistency in work rights sometimes leads businesses to exclude non-citizens from recruitment processes.
Partnerships are powerful, especially when it comes to supporting refugees and migrants to work in their fields of expertise. Governments, businesses, and non-government organisations all have a role.
Employing refugees and migrants enables businesses to tap into a diverse, motivated group of talented people. Breaking down barriers to refugee and migrant employment is a shared responsibility, and this should be role modelled through a partnership approach.
“Although I already knew how to express myself and engage with new people in English, my first months were difficult. In job interviews, I would struggle to understand the interviewer as they would speak quickly, and I’d have to ask them to speak slower or repeat their questions. But day by day I got better.” – Salwa Afif Razzouk, office worker with bachelor’s degree in law and master’s in public management from Syria.”
In many industries, English requirements are higher than they need to be. This arbitrarily locks out skilled refugee and migrant talent.
Excessive English language requirements are a major barrier for many refugees and migrants seeking to work in their field. For example, many clinical staff from overseas struggle to pass the English language criteria in Australia, which are set at a medical doctor standard by the health practitioner regulator. This means many migrant patients miss out on access to clinicians who speak their language. English language tests are also expensive, and some people need to take them multiple times.
Got questions? We’re glad you asked. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for common queries.
Interested in a media story? Please contact the media team on press@ssi.org.au or call SSI’s Head of Executive Communications and Media, Hannah Gartell, on 0423 965 956.
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