WHEN
November 12, 202612:30pm - 1:30pm
Research Webinar: Why skilled migrants face barriers to professional work in Australia
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Australia selects skilled migrants for their qualifications, experience and potential contributions to the economy. Yet many encounter significant barriers when seeking professional employment, including demands for Australian work experience, limited professional networks and employers’ uncertainty about overseas qualifications and experience.
Drawing on research with skilled migrants and Australian recruiters, Dr June Tran explores the gap between Australia’s skilled migration system and employers’ recruitment practices. Why do qualified migrants struggle to secure jobs that match their skills? How do they navigate these barriers and establish themselves in the Australian labour market? And what do their experiences reveal about the changes needed in recruitment practices and migration policy?
The webinar will share evidence from the ground, challenge common assumptions about migrant employability, and discuss practical and policy implications for creating fairer pathways into professional employment. It will also provide an opportunity to reflect on how employers, policymakers and other stakeholders can better recognise and utilise the skills that migrants bring to Australia.
Meet our speakers
Dr Thi Tuyet Tran (June Tran)
is a Lecturer in Management at RMIT University, Melbourne. She holds doctorates in Management and Education and has academic and research experience in Vietnam, Germany and Australia. Her research examines skilled migrant employment, workplace integration and graduate employability, with a particular focus on how recruitment practices and labour-market institutions shape migrants’ career opportunities. Drawing on research with skilled migrants and Australian recruiters, June investigates why qualified migrants often struggle to secure professional employment commensurate with their skills and experience, and what can be done to address these barriers.
Dylan Nguyen
is currently a General Manager at Iberdrola Australia, part of a Spanish multinational energy group and one of the world’s leading companies in renewable energy. Originally from Vietnam, Dylan moved to Australia in 2009 and completed his Master’s and PhD in Electrical Engineering at the UNSW in 2015. Despite his academic qualifications, his journey into the Australian workforce was far from easy. He spent 3 challenging years trying to secure his first professional role before finally landing a job in Dec 2017. Drawing on his personal experiences, Dylan has since shared practical advice and helped many people navigate the Australian job market. He is passionate about helping others overcome employment challenges, approach job applications strategically, and build successful professional careers in Australia.
