Some practical responses to the The People of Australia Australian Multicultural Advisory Council Statement on cultural diversity and recommendations to government which was launched in Melbourne on Friday 30 April.
I attended the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council launch of its Cultural Diversity Statement presented by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans MP, at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne today.
You can access the document online, it's titled: The People of Australia Australian Multicultural Advisory Council Statement on cultural diversity and recommendations to government.
The event started with an Aboriginal dance and welcome to country followed by school children from the Song Room Choir of Sacred Heart Primary School in Fitzroy singing the national anthem. Guest speakers included Laurie Ferguson MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Andrew Demetriou, CEO of the AFL and Senator Chris Evans before two more songs from the children that were very warmly received.
Unfortunately there was no time allocated for questions.
There were many community representatives and well known multicultural representatives in attendance who enjoyed the nice refreshments after the speeches and had a good opportunity to network.
I collected the 18 page colourful pamphlet - and have decided to make some of my own comments.
Please bear in mind that these recommendations are mostly for skilled and business migrants arriving through 457, 175 and 176 visas.
Page 9: "We are multicultural because we choose to be and need to be...to fill our shortages of labour and skills"
Why is it then that new arrivals find that they must have local experience before they can get a job?
Why don't skilled migrants find jobs immediately after arrival that can utilise their skills and experience?
Why do these talented migrants decide to leave Australia (supposedly a first world country) because of their frustration at not being able to get work?
Why are they not encouraged to seek professional, paid assistance or given pre departure information to start their networking before they arrive in Australia?
Why are they not invited to start their networking and connecting before they leave their home country?
Page 12: "Good governments do not tolerate discrimination and do all they can to eliminate prejudice and bigotry"
Why does the Australian Government provide settlement services to humanitarian and refugee entrants but hardly any support to skilled and professional migrants (particularly services tailored to their more specific needs)?
Could the government declare that a percentage of all organisations with more than 10 staff recruit people who have lived in Australia less than three years (an affirmative action policy, even if only on a short term voluntary basis) so that new arrivals can gain Australian experience?
Why doesn't the government encourage new arrivals to network with their ethnic community organisations, multicultural organisations, industry networks and mainstream Australian services? (by providing local liaison officers or information services, preferably in the new arrival's first language. As a minimum, perhaps they could be referred to their local country's embassy/consulate for a direct referral).
Page 12: " ...help these Australians of the future find their way into the life of their new communities"
When does this start? It is my belief that this should start before their arrival in Australia, if not when their visa is granted, beforehand when they complete their visa application. Instead of asking a migration agent to 'fill in the blanks' on their behalf, there should be more of an effort made by the newcomer and their family to start their networking, assessment of their skills, their cultural training and their preparations for life in Australia BEFORE they arrive here.
One of the most simple and useful ideas is to make sure that they organise to have someone meet them at the airport when they arrive. So they need to get onto the internet and introduce themselves to people who share a common interest, the same country of origin, the same industry, the same family name - anything to approach someone and say, can you please just meet me at the airport and take me to my short term accommodation. They could offer to pay for someone to do this, but it makes a big difference, after a long flight, to have someone waiting for you on arrival.
There is no direct information session provided to these migrants. How do they learn the basics of Living, Working and Networking in Australia? Who will explain how to settle here? Who will explain the culture? Who will give them accurate and reliable recommendations for finding work? Where can they go to improve their own English skills or those of any other family members travelling with them?
Page 15: "We must plan for the settlement of new citizens"
As stated above, this needs to start prior to their departure from their home country. We need the new arrivals to take responsibility for learning the new systems in Australia so that they can access mainstream services like other Australians. They can arrive with an expectation of both rights and responsibilities and a commitment to achieving their own success - not a welfare mentality or because it was so difficult to get a visa, they must really want me and then having completely unrealistic expectation of how to find work in Australia - prepare them for the 'hero to zero' syndrome. Australia likes its residents to 'earn their stripes' before they are accepted into our workplace culture.
Page 15: "The objective of a harmonious multicultural Australia must be pursued not just with idealism, but also with an acute and informed understanding of reality and a healthy dose of pragmatism"
This does not mean more committees, more research and passing responsibility on to either state or local governments. It means saying, Australia wide, that we offer timely and useful advice for the benefit of newcomers to help them utilise the EXISTING Australian resources. There is no need to develop a barrage of 'multicultural' or 'ethno specific' resources, programs and activities.
It means educating the newcomers on how things work in Australia, what to expect, how to ask questions and make the effort themselves. It is too easy for people who already speak English to become isolated (because they are not even attending English classes so that they can meet other people) - so they need to connect to other people, real human beings, frequently and in situations where they can make new friends that share the same passions, interests, culture, faith, sporting code etc - this is how they will connect in Australia.
This does not need to be a lengthy process, it can simply mean attending one event with an introduction to these concepts, where they also meet some other newcomers. If there is an issue about funding, simply add $50 to the cost of the visa and say that the event is included as part of the immigration process.
Page 17: "They should consider stressing Australia's cultural diversity on more occasions"
I disagree - our cultural diversity should be PRACTICED. For instance, how many people of a multicultural background are at the top levels in our local media?
How many newcomers move into the same level position or higher than their previous location on arrival?
How many newcomers get cultural training so that they can perform to 'Australian standards?'
How many newcomers spend their own money on their own Australian development? How many spend $300 on going out to dinner with nice wine at a restaurant?
How many newcomers start the job hunting process AFTER finding accommodation, schools etc and then start panicking because they have now been in Australia four months without a job?
How many suffer depression and other health related matters because they come from collectivist cultures or large social networks and then are treated like separate individuals who must fend for themselves here in Australia when what they really need is a new social network, of all ages, as soon as possible?
How many are taught settlement strategies? Do they have realistic expectations? Are they aware of what culture shock is?
Are they not just homesick but foodsick? Whilst there are many cuisines and ingredients now available in Australia, this is not something they can automatically resume eating from day one. People who eat strong Indian food may find that other people do not like sitting close to them at work.
Pages 17-19: "Recommendations to Government"
Whilst I agree in principle with all of the recommendations, I have already highlighted to my mind some simple and straightforward ideas that are extremely pragmatic. The final recommendation states:
10. That the government encourage participation in community life by all members of Australia's diverse population.
This sums up what every Australian needs to do to enjoy life. What is lacking is the starting process. Ultimately, it is not the responsibility of the government to do this - it is up to the new arrival (who is generally very proactive before and upon arrival. What happens is that if this momentum is lost, if the opportunity to educate them passes, then the slide downwards can happen very quickly.
Changing the immigration process to empower newcomers to manage their transition pre departure and on arrival is essential. Encouraging the newcomer to connect to resources that suit their own personal style is critical. I believe, quite simply that:
The Australian Government should host four information sessions per year in major cities and regional centres so that local people and newcomers can come along, be informed about how to live, work and network in Australia (learning settlement strategies, understanding culture shock, finding work and friends)
The Australian Government should also consider sending Welcome Kits directly to visa applicants and asking them to prepare their own settlement connections in their application.
It would be a great start - and very low cost. And this statement did not cost anything to produce apart from some computer and brain power! I am not on the payroll of a government committee or any political party either.
I welcome your comments and contributions.
Sue Ellson BBus AIMM MAHRI, Founder and Director, Newcomers Network , Supporter of Diverse Australia Program. Sue Ellson first started supporting the Australian Government's Living in Harmony initiative back in 2003. With the change of government, it has been changed to the 'Diverse Australia Program.' With humble beginnings 10 years ago, these programs have had a focus on reducing racism - and Sue is pleased to see the new direction towards the key message of 'Everyone Belongs.'
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Comments
Partial agreement
Hi Sue
Again, I am impressed with level of interest and knowledge you have on this subject. I agree with most of your comments and the questions raised, but point out that it would, or could be, yet another restraint on Australian business to have to comply with an Affirmative Action policy to support newcomers and such an approach would be politically sensitive when we will will always have a reasonable percentage of Australian-born citizens on unemployment benefits.
When I look at the whole government funded employment services landscape, I hold the view that DEEWR could, or should, allocate some specific and targeted funding for the support of skilled migrant (newcomer) employment in Australia. The Commonwealth could well argue that this is already in place through eligibility for Jobs Services Australia, but generally speaking most skilled migrants are only eligible for the basic Stream One Limited service, which provides access to computers, phones, newspapers not much else. Again, any ramp up of spending on the skilled migrant (newcomer) network is politically sensitive and remember, they do not get voting rights until such time as they survive and become citizens.
Our private employment service for skilled migrants is strongly based on taking representative action on behalf of unemployed skilled migrants and international graduates. Our observations over a two year period are that the various State Governments who sponsor many newcomers, are getting the selection of suitable migrants very wrong. They tend to make decisions, it seems, based broadly on ASCO Code Occupations generally, as opposed to having any fundamental understanding of the deeper skill set AND relevance to the market. This means we get solid levels of enquiry from people who need help to get employment, but it also means we face an uphill battle to secure any opportunity and we often have to consider the transferable skills of a client and sell that relevance. Meanwhile, we have Occupations again experiencing skill shortages and almost none of these occupations are being attarcated or sponsored by the States (or so it would seem to me).
Having criticised State Governments broadly, I must say the South Australian Government does a reasonable job of providing information and supporting new arrivals, in the context of your comments about Page 12 of the report.
New policy directions
Thanks Patrick for your thoughtful and business relevant comments.
I had a feeling that mentioning 'Affirmative Action' might arouse some interest - as it did when I was at a Melbourne Press Club function.
I find it frustrating that anyone living in Australia without recent, relevant work experience can find it difficult to secure employment (including the long term unemployed). Business is required to abide by so many rules in relation to Occupational Health and Safety, Insurance etc and it has now become much easier to say, sorry, we cannot offer you any work experience, even on a voluntary basis because of all of the compliance issues.
I have found that all skilled migrants who can find some experience in either their profession or their industry return to an equivalent level position much more quickly after arrival than those who end up taking 'any work' to support their family. One recent bizarre case was an expert in the financial and banking arena becoming a driving instructor (unfortunately, he did all of his networking on his own and he did not pay for some professional assistance and was unemployed for a very long time).
In another case, I represented a graphic designer who was still learning English. He could do the job perfectly, but he needed to continue his English studies and learn the Australian workplace culture. As I went with him and his portfolio to meet employers, they could easily speak to me (an Australian who sounds Australian) and he was instantly offered work experience. They paid for his transport costs. This was a company that normally only hired freelance workers and without representation, this migrant would not have got his start in Australia. He now has full time permanent employment (that he secured without my assistance via a job advertisement) and he has also registered his own ABN so that he can do part time work from home as well.
Perhaps we need to take these concepts a step further and as some Jobs Services Providers in the past have been able to do is enable them to provide insurance cover for the work experience candidate.
However, I have also found that most newcomers find their jobs not in the traditional manner through recruitment agents or job advertisements, but by direct personal networking - when they go and meet people face to face at networking events, social occasions or by referral from someone else (it is not what you know or who you know, it is who refers you). Again, they just need to be advised about this so that they can DO IT THEMSELVES, not secure funding for someone to do it for them.
I nearly included some comments in the article above on the political nature of any type of funding to assist skilled migrants. I passed in the first instance by suggesting that the cost of the visa be increased by the cost of providing the information session assistance.
I realise that the government has a moral obligation to help the most disadvantaged members of our community. However, I think that we also need to focus on practical and low cost solutions for these skilled migrants because the sooner they are earning money, the sooner they will become taxpayers.
If we spend all of this money attracting them to Australia (including running recruitment exercises in the UK and Ireland) and then they cannot find work in our areas of demand, then we have wasted that investment. If they return to their home country (which has happened to many people I have dealt with, including Australian repatriates who decide not to stay and return overseas), then they will probably complain for the rest of their lives about the difficulties they had when they came to Australia - who knows what effect this can have on Australia's reputation?
I also agree with your comments that various state governments, in particular Victoria and South Australia, who have made concerted efforts to assist skilled migrants. However, I have also found that many of these offerings do not include a settlement strategies component (which is not difficult to include) and skilled migrants have often complained about the patronising feeling they have received from these services.
Finally, I think there needs to be much better communication about the REAL demand for jobs in Australia. I have heard many recruitment firms having to source international candidates because we do not have the expertise in Australia. When the GFC hit, some large companies reacted quickly and migrants with families had a very short time to leave the country and if they could have had their details centralised, there may have been other companies that could have picked up these talented individuals who already had visas that could be transferred to the new employer.
Whilst 'The People of Australia' report appeared to consult several networks, it appears that once again, the government has consulted people that they already know. I hope that this article opens up the debate to a wider audience so that the 'people's' comments can be heard and that new practical and low cost initiatives that do not automatically generate more 'jobs for the boys' will be developed.
I realise that the Australian Government would like to divert the responsibility to the State Government who would like to divert it to Local Government but at the end of the day, we are ALL AUSTRALIANS. Let's make things simple and much more inclusive - because the principles associated with my arguments WOULD be suitable for disadvantaged Australians. It WOULD feed into existing resources. It WOULD empower the individual to generate their own success with a strategic approach and it is also a RESPONSIBLE approach for a government that wants a fair and equitable Australia for all residents.
Again, I welcome your additional comments and feedback Patrick - and anyone else's!
The Third Culture
Hi Sue
Your typing speed is surely better than mine. Thanks for your response. I have to agree with you; that the 'networking' initiatives that can be adopted by any skilled migrant can pay dividends, and the best thing we can do is help people to help themselves. However, your own example of the graphic designer winning the work experience largely, it seems, because you were there to smooth out the conversation, provides some indication that newcomers do need direct 'advocacy', representation and interventional support. This is what Catapult People is about.
But, rather than propose funding of such advocacy services as I alluded earlier, perhaps funding should support the promotion of cultural diversity in the Australian work place. I have been involved recently in the development of a cultural diversity training package by Robert Bean (work done for the Australian Multicultural Foundation I believe). A concept or theme touched on with this work is the challenge for Employers generally to develop a Third Culture, one which embraces the old and the new. With such a training packaged now developed, I am afraid that it will now 'collect dust on a shelf', and not be used in the broader market. I believe a recommendation for a funded pilot was made, but I am not sure of progress.
Governments could also initiate training for employers regarding the various Visa classes existing, and what they mean in the context of work rights and the opportunity to secure a loyal and long-lasting employee. One of the issues with this is that the Government itslef tends to provide much misinformation, due on one hand to the complexity of the system and constant changes, and on the other hand, the conflicting agendas of different governments. (For example, the SA Govt would have a skilled migrants, sponsored by them on a 475 or 487 provisional Visa, believe that that they have to stay in South Australia and work there for a period, when in fact the legal requirement is that they live and work in Regional Australia, not just South Australia.)
Anyway, had best be off to deal with the demands of family for the weekend. I look forward to further conversation with you and others.
Four Ideas
Thanks Patrick - yes, I taught myself how to type once I began a training career and had to write more often.
1) Personal Representation
Yes, the graphic designer is a good example because now that the employer has had a good experience, I am sure he will be much more likely to hire people with different cultural backgrounds in the future.
2) Third Culture Education
Yes, I absolutely agree that employers do need this education and it is great to hear that something has already been created. Again, let's use existing resources.
3) Other Projects
I worked with the Committee for Melbourne to help them create the 'Engaging Melbourne's Skilled Migrants' project some years ago. It won the Future Leaders Group competition and ran for just one round. Yes, it included cultural training, mentoring with Australians already in corporate organisations and networking opportunities. Yes, it stopped because the person leading the project moved on and the funding stopped. Projects need champions and if these disappear, so do the results - that is why I suggest the Government be involved.
4) Visa education
Wow, visas do sound complex (I do not have direct experience sorting this issue out). Yes, employers utilising migrants could be helped - and I have noticed that in the past, every time a political storm is generated about migrants, visa rules change. It would be nice if the goal posts could be kept in alignment for more than one term of government.
Now, time to enjoy your family :-)
Cheers, Sue
A View on a Successful Migration Process
Migration to me is a change management process with all the emotions attached to it. In this process an individual faces a roller coaster of emotions in the first few years as a newcomer. From the emotional departure at the country of origin through to the final settlement into the new country
With that in mind, the decision to migrate should be an informed decision based on factual data obtained by the migrant to be prior to spending effort and money. Such factual data should be part of the well thought plan. Individuals wishing to migrate should be able to contact a reliable and unbiased network that can provide them with factual and reliable data about life of a newcomer in Australia; referrals in their field of work and most important: a social connection within the new environment so they fully succeed in this venture.
I am sure both migrants to be and the Australian Government would benefit from a well planned and executed migration process.
In support of what has been covered previously in the above article, my opinion is that a successful migration process is preceded by the following.
Planning
1. Contacting the ethnic community for factual data
2. Obtaining official information in local language about all the facts on migration
Preparation
1. Network with community professionals in the same field; professionals who provide job readiness support or network opportunities; If available find a mentor who can talk about the cultural differences in the work environment, guide them about how to enter the labour market including on cultural aspects of the Australian work environment.
2. Establish prior to arrival a social network. Yes, someone (a host) who can pick this newcomer up at the airport; show our wonderful environment. If possible, this host would ideally be a neighbour so he can feel almost at home. In the case of migrating with a family, a local person who can show the home stayer where schools, shops, shopping centres, hospitals, etc are.
In summary: Migrating fully informed and connected is about saving time and frustration in the job search and the settlement process. It is about utilising immediately the talent needed in our industry and providing the migrant the sense their choice to migrate to Australia was the right one.
Change Management and Planning
Thanks Alba for your detailed and insightful comments.
Change management is a good way to explain it - yes, it is a significant transition that requires factual data and considered choices to be successful.
ABRISA is an ethnic community organisation that manages, on a shoe string budget, to get this useful information to other Brazilian arrivals here in Victoria thanks to the commitment of you and many other volunteers.
Alas, what I have observed over the years is that when people like you can no longer devote the hours and hours of voluntary work to this effort, your experience and knowledge is lost and no one fills in the gap.
So much funding for community groups in Australia is based on specific projects rather than providing funds to keep the organisation running (to cover cheap rent and administration services).
Ensuring that quality information is delivered at the right time in a format suitable for the newcomer (and perhaps their family who may or may not speak English) is vital. I have found that the common denominator for successful settlement is when the individual makes their first friend - everything seems to start falling into place after that moment.
If that first friend also understands their culture, their language and the 'Australian way,' this is almost the perfect segway for a successful transition.
The simple suggestions you make are not time consuming - but the consequences of not doing these steps are many - marital breakdown, depression, poverty, loss of skills, anger and frustration. Later this week I will post some extra suggestions on information that I believe could be published on the www.immi.gov.au website.
Thanks for your contribution Alba and I look forward to hearing more from you and others in the future.
Cheers, Sue
The People of Australia
Hi Sue,
Thank you for your thoughts. Nothing much has changed since 22 years ago when I arrived. Lots of rhetoric, not much doing.
I concur with all and would like to add:
I find it difficult to ignore the silly comment on Page 9: "We are multicultural because we choose to be and need to be...to fill our shortages of labour and skills"
We don’t choose to be multicultural, we ARE multicultural because since 1945 more than six million people have come to Australia from all over the world, to live and work. More than 20% of Australians today are foreign born and more than 40% are of mixed cultural origin. In our homes we speak 226 different languages.
Without people from all over the world, Australia as we know it today would not exist.
I agree whole-heartedly that the Government could and should do more, but the remainder of the comment on Page 9 raises another question: what are employers doing for the skilled professional migrants (or as the comment refers to us - ‘shortage fillers’)?
Currently 25% of the Australian workforce was born overseas. The 2008 figure of skilled migration as a contributor to labour force growth was the largest on record and current projections do not predict a decline (ABS, Perspectives on Migrants, 2009). Simple cross-cultural orientations as part of induction programs, buddy systems and diverse cultural celebrations, would all welcome newcomers, raising awareness, understanding and appreciation of multicultural Australia.
In my view Government and business (small and large) share a responsibility to "...help these Australians of the future find their way into the life of their new communities" (to end with another quote from the cited document).
Time for change
Thanks Dina, yes, it is very disappointing that there has not been any significant change in the last 22 years.
I am a little tired of 'multicultural' being simply translated as food and dancing...whilst a wonderful import from our new arrivals, there is so much more.
I particularly like your comment about diverse cultural celebrations - mixing several cultures at once at functions would be fabulous! We would all be reminded of how similar as human beings we really are and could celebrate our differences.
With proper cultural education, we would not be so quick to make assumptions from our own cultural looking glass of the world.
Thanks for your contribution! Sue
I am a migrant
My husband and I came here as skilled engineers. My husband was a tecnical manager before comming ti Australia.
We had very hard times in Austrlia.He couldn't find any related job to his skill even in lower positions. He started to work in retail industry and then as a worker in a refinery.
But his income still wasn't enough. I was looking for job every where but couldn't find any.
We went to centre link to get help but they said skilled migrants are not eligible for getting help from centre link.
After 2 years in australia our life style is still worse than our life stylein our country which is a third world country.
I am always asking from myself: why the visa was granted to us, while no employer accept us without local experience?
Why they didn't give us a chance?
Why the goverment helps every one except skilled migrants? What was wrong with us?
We came to australia because australian government says our skill is in the list of skills that Australia needs, and ofcourse because of political situation in our country.
So why the government doesn't support skilled migrants for a short period of time until they could find a job related to there skill?
We are still suffering from the hardship that we had psychologically. We really had a disaster in our life.
We came to australia as two successful engineers but what we are now?
Are we realy that skilled migrants that Australia wants?
So how does the government plan? Do they bring the people that job market doesn't want?
Why the government bring this people and leave them alone? Is that really the government plan?
Reply to elham
Hello Elham
Thank you for providing your personal experience – these stories need to be told.
I usually recommend that skilled migrants try and get experience either in their industry or their area of expertise even if that is in a voluntary capacity because you are RIGHT, Australian employers want Australian experience.
I believe this is because they perceive that you would then:
Of course you and I know that you have
I understand that for a variety of reasons, including political, that the government cannot be seen to provide services to migrants who in theory, could pay for professional assistance to find work – and I agree that most of their programs should be designed for people who are the most disadvantaged and at risk in terms of finding work.
However, it is shameful that you are now living in poverty. Before long, you may end up entitled to Centrelink services (for the wrong reason).
The visa approval process is DIFFERENT to the job hunting process. The government selects applicants based on particular ‘in demand’ skills shortage areas but that does not mean that they then go and place people in these positions. Because the data they use to select these occupations is based on other government department reporting, it is not always the most accurate and relevant. But rest assured, the government does plan – but in your case, has failed to complete the task. It could be argued that it is ‘not the government’s job’ to get you work – but I believe it is the government’s job to get you started on that process.
The government cannot control what employers do (like make them hire people without local experience) – an employer simply wants what they perceive to be the best worker to fit in with the existing culture of the organization (they do not always think about how their culture could be changed or improved by the addition of someone with different experience).
Employers are very time conscious and do not always have the extra time to spend with new employees without local experience.
I do NOT believe that there is ANYTHING WRONG WITH YOU. This is the unfortunate situation that exists and that is why I am shining the light on it – THERE NEEDS TO BE CHANGE.
Our government has managed to create a very good environment for most Australians and as an Australian who works with people from all over the world, I am VERY THANKFUL that I live here. But I believe that there is room for improvement. I am sure that you are thankful that our political situation is not as troublesome as your previous location.
It is a significant challenge that you have gone through and I do understand how difficult it must be for you. I have had direct exposure to people like you and your husband for many years now. I have tried several times to affect some sort of change at the government level. My next step is to begin a good quality research project so that I can substantiate my claims in a statistically accurate way so that I can present these findings to the government so that there is a ‘business case’ for the adoption of different policies in the future.
Australia needs people like you – proactive people who are seeking a better life. I hope that in the meantime, until you rightfully manage to secure the work you can do your best, that you have the opportunity to enjoy the many other benefits of living in Australia (I do so many things that are free or low cost with my children despite my low income).
As Michael Thornton stated in his comment on this forum, he believes it is the community’s responsibility to welcome new arrivals. Well unfortunately, I do not believe that there are enough community people willing to do that (or necessarily realize what needs to be done) – so if the basics are provided by the government, and the cost of that service is included in the visa application, then everyone can get what they want….
I hope this helps explain some of the issues to you - please contact me again if you need further details.
Cheers, Sue Ellson
Dear Sue, Thank you fro your
Dear Sue,
Thank you fro your respond.
My husband and I ,despite all difficulties, will do what ever we can do to improve our life situation and of course be usefull for Australia- our new home.
This is our goal of immigration.
Regards
Elham
Improving life
Thanks Elham, I have no doubt that your life will improve!
I attended a free Centrelink information session on 'Understanding Shares' last Wednesday night. This is a federal government department that is offering informative education sessions to help Australians establish a secure financial future so that they do not rely on the aged pension - which is allocated on a needs basis and is literally just enough to survive. They made the comment that if we wanted advice, then we would need to see a licensed financial adviser.
I believe that this model is exactly what I was suggesting for skilled migrants - if you could receive some basic education you could then either manage your own transition/job hunting or pay for further personalised advice.
As a result of posting my comments on the Open Forum blog, several people have contacted me asking for this whole matter to be escalated through the higher political channels. Rest assured, I want to see some change occur as I have seen for myself the devastating consequences of bad settlement and delayed job placement.
I will keep this blog updated.
Cheers, Sue Ellson
The People of Australia
Some valid observations there Sue. Large companies sponsoring overseas highly skilled employees often use relocation companies who help with basic information like where to live, where to buy a fridge, schooling etc. Those lucky people also come with a ready made network, namely their workplace.
In more recent times immigration has been based primarily on skill and family connections have become a secondary consideration. When family connections were considered important in the process of resettlement I fancy migrants made the transition to life in Australia less traumatically.
The government today is concentrating less on independent skilled migration and more on employer sponsored migration and perhaps that is a good thing.
I agree that migrants need support after arrival here but I don't think that government is the best vehicle. Government should provide help in the case of hardship but the creation of networks should be the job of the community. In that regard your own organisation Sue is doing a great job!
The people of Australia
Sue ,
I totally agree with what you say. Personally I have migrated to Australia 3 years ago with my husband and girls and till date could not land a job, not even an interview. Thank God my husband is working, being in the medical profession, and supporting us; yet I still need to work. I have 10+ years of banking experience with an international bank ( one of the top 5 worldwide) and was a department manager before I left ,yet find it nearly impossible to find an employer interested in my CV. I have sent my CV to many recruitment agencies who confirm upon seeing my resume that they will find me a job the next day, yet nothing so far. I even approached many organisations stating that I was willing to wok for free until I prove myself or start under a traineeship program , yet still nothing.
The point I am trying to make is that apparently Australia has it's own form of CV that is different to the international one, or maybe the importance lies in the cover letter; never the less I believe that the government should have issued to new migrants some warning as such. Providing assistance with councelling on the business behaviour and formalities used here in Australia.
I am currently doing my MBA, in attempt to network with the business community, and all we hear all the time whether in uni or on TV is that Australia faces a skills shortage.... How can it face a skills shortage when it is not accepting overseas experience?
I am to meet up with a resume writer and career councelor next week and will post you with the outcome.
Overseas experience and tailoring your resume
Hello Nousha
I have spent a lot of time over the years re-writing resumes and yes, I do believe that there is an 'Australian' format - we like them short and punchy, dot points, lots of white space, succinct yet detailed, relevant to the position and in your case, I guess we would need to somehow highlight some local Australian experience.
The skills to find a job are very different from those to do a job - so I am pleased to hear that you are now seeking professional assistance. See if you can pay for this on an hourly basis - just as you need it, rather than as a lump sum up front.
I believe that there are some imple messages that the government could include in the visa acceptance process that could prepare new migrants with some basic skills and strategies for their Australian job search.
I look forward to hearing your update.
Cheers, Sue
Honestly what I can say to
Honestly what I can say to Nousha is: Delete all your significant achivements from your CV!!!
Because Australian employers don't like you as a star. They need just a good team member. Not a phenomenal person.
You should aprove that you are a good team player. and ready to adjust you and learn.
Of course don't expect to get the same position as you had in your counrty, even if you are qualified.
Highlighting achievements
My comment in relation to this would be to provide relevant achievements in your resume that match the criteria for the job. This may mean that you REMOVE some achievements and ADD some other achievements.
Some people do feel threatened by someone who has more experience - be like the poker player, do not show all your cards up front - match your resume/CV to the requirements for the position and then if you need to later on, after you have the job, then discuss some other experience that may be relevant for the tasks you are completing.
Last week I was speaking to two migrants from Israel - the format for resumes is different again there - one page only, facts, no personal insights - every country is a little different. In Singapore, it is common to receive resumes with many occupations and employers listed with large time gaps between jobs - this would be considered suspicious in Australia!
I guess it is important to source good quality information from local people - they are the ones most likely to advise you on the correct format for your industry and occupation.
Cheers, Sue Ellson
Another Analysis
I have just discovered this post
The People of Australia Multicultural minimalist Statement handed to government
Written by Andrew Jakubowicz Friday, 30 April 2010 16:05
http://www.culturaldiversity.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=494:the-people-of-australia-multicultural-minimalist-statement-handed-to-government&catid=1:human-rights-news&Itemid=16
Not only do I appreciate Andrew linking to this blog on Open Forum, but he has gone into even more detail about the publication and the lack of rigorous research or policy implementation that could happen in the future.
I highly recommend that you read it.