Migrant agency says regions a good move

MIGRANT and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia has spoken out in support of the economic and social benefits for migrants in regional areas.

AMES Australia chief executive Catherine Scarth said research had shown Australia would see productivity boosted and an increase in the availability of skilled workers through programs to help skilled migrants into professional jobs.

“The programs would also harness the skills and cultural knowledge of professionals from non-English speaking countries to help access overseas markets, according to the research,” she said.

A review of one such program – the Skilled Professional Migrants Program (SPMP) – which aims to bridge the cultural divide faced by some migrants relaunching their careers in Australia – found that a large number of professional migrants faced considerable challenges in finding work in their fields.

It found 53 per cent of migrants who come to Australia under the Skilled Migrant Program ultimately work in the same occupation they nominated as immigrants.

The research report titled “Securing futures: making the most of migrants’ skills”, found barriers to work included unfamiliarity with recruitment practices; a lack of professional networks and difficulty growing them; lack of knowledge of Australian workplace culture.