Underemployed migrant workers could add $70 billion to economy in next decade

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Australia could be better utilising its workforce if it matched skills to jobs more accurately to address skills shortages. Recent research conducted by a non–profit organisation SSI in collaboration with Allianz Australia, LinkedIn, Business NSW, and Business Western Sydney found that over 620,000 migrant workers in the country are not fully utilising their skills despite often having higher qualification levels than their Australian counterparts.

Migrants are often faced with barriers to employment such as their qualifications not being recognised and/ or a lack of experience working in Australia. The underutilisation of migrant skills has substantial economic implications. Research shows approximately $70 billion could be added to the economy in the next decade if migrant skills were matched more accurately, their experience recognised, and they worked at the same rate as Australian born workers.  Read more here.