Migrant women who follow their husbands or partners to Australia are more likely to encounter significant barriers to gaining employment, a new report has found.
According to new research by the settlement agency AMES Australia, and funded by the federal government, the report’s so-called “trailing spouses” have been found to be under-utilised and under-employed.
The study found between 2010 and 2015 at least 157,000 women over 18 years old migrated in the family stream, while more than 181,000 women migrated in the skilled stream.
Most of the women in both categories were partners or spouses.
Joseph Caputo, from the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, said many migrant families did not have all the information they needed when it came to getting work.
"Information is extremely important to ensure that women do become aware that opportunities exist here and the other is to make employers more aware that cultural diversity in the workforce is very good for their business,” he said.
The study identified a number of barriers to finding work, including a lack of knowledge from employers about temporary visas and work rights.
When it comes to the migrants themselves, the study found many don't have an understanding of Australian workplace culture and recruitment practices.
The report found that it's these reasons, together with a lack of local experience, domestic responsibilities, access to transport and proficiency in English as barriers to employment.
Chair of the Australian African Women’s Health Advisory Group, Wudad Salim, came to Australian in 1992 from Ethiopia.
She agrees with the report’s findings that unemployment or underemployment has a significant impact on the women's mental health and wellbeing.
"It will have effect on their families, on their health, on their social status. It is an unhealthy situation for the whole family and it has negative implications,” Ms Salim said.
In a statement to SBS, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet says it supports the report’s recommendations in principle.
It says it includes practical interventions to support women partner migrants to gain employment; piloting an early intervention program and producing information to help migrant women find jobs.
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Su Sullivan came to Australia in 2001 from Thailand as a qualified psychologist.
After some further study, her degree was recognised in Australia, but she struggled to find employment in her field.
She worked in a nursing home and then became a stay-at-home-mother.
She's one of tens of thousands of highly qualified migrant women around the country who struggle to find work and have become known as "hidden assets".
In an effort to further her career, she sought many volunteer positions.
“Everyone said you don’t have local experience, so I think alright, do volunteer work,” she said.
Ms Sullivan is currently employed, but not as a psychologist.
