Table 4: Barriers to employment for refugees as identified by interviewees Pre-Migration Australia Exposure to violence, instability and Mental health issues due to pre- • • persecution and post-migration experiences Physical disability / health problems • Lack of / limited education Illiteracy / low levels of literacy • • Disrupted education due to long Low English proficiency / • • periods in camps / exposure to communication and violence and instability language barriers Limited qualifications / skills • (particularly amongst older age groups) Lack of knowledge about the Lack of opportunities / finances to • • Australian labour market have skills recognised Lack of knowledge / awareness • about skills recognition processes Lack of driver’s licence / difficulty • accessing transport No opportunity to scope / research Lack of established networks • • the Australian labour market Limited capacity / capability of job • network providers Lack of work experience in Australia • Experiences of racism and • discrimination Lack of documentation prior Lack of / limited knowledge about • • to migration Australian workplace culture Lack of documentation on arrival • Misinformation about employment Difficulty accessing / sustaining • • opportunities employment and training opportunities Unrealistic expectations around • employment opportunities Professor Hugo’s report also highlighted the importance of English language training in helping humanitarian entrants in the labour market. A higher proportion of humanitarian entrants have limited English, with the 2006 Census showing that some 36.5 per cent rate themselves as speaking English not well or not at all, compared with an average of 25 per cent for all migrants. The Census data also shows that the unemployment rate decreases and the labour participation rate increases with greater proficiency in spoken English.
Table 4: Barriers to employment for refugees as identified by interviewees Pre-Migration Australia • Exposure to violence, instability and persecution • Mental health issues due to pre- and post-migration experiences • Physical disability / health problems • Lack of / limited education • Disrupted education due to long periods in camps / exposure to violence and instability • Illiteracy / low levels of literacy • Low English proficiency / communication and language barriers • Limited qualifications / skills (particularly amongst older age groups) • Lack of knowledge about the Australian labour market • Lack of opportunities / finances to have skills recognised • Lack of knowledge / awareness about skills recognition processes • Lack of driver’s licence / difficulty accessing transport • No opportunity to scope / research the Australian labour market • Lack of established networks • Limited capacity / capability of job network providers • Lack of work experience in Australia • Experiences of racism and discrimination • Lack of documentation prior to migration • Lack of / limited knowledge about Australian workplace culture • Lack of documentation on arrival • Misinformation about employment opportunities • Difficulty accessing / sustaining employment and training opportunities • Unrealistic expectations around employment opportunities Professor Hugo’s report also highlighted the importance of English language training in helping humanitarian entrants in the labour market. A higher proportion of humanitarian entrants have limited English, with the 2006 Census showing that some 36.5 per cent rate themselves as speaking English not well or not at all, compared with an average of 25 per cent for all migrants. The Census data also shows that the unemployment rate decreases and the labour participation rate increases with greater proficiency in spoken English.
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