Antonio Mitchell thought moving to Australia would be “really good” for his career.
Originally from Chile, Mitchell trained as a physiotherapist and claims to have treated more than 50,000 patients in a specialist hospital before migrating to Australia in 2018.
But he is still in the process of having his qualifications recognized here.
“I thought that when I arrived, I would be able to show what I know, what I did in previous years,” he said.
“Unfortunately, I was quite shocked when I realized that none of these experiences could help me in any way to obtain my qualifications.”
This meant Mitchell was unable to return to work as a physiotherapist – despite it being a government-recognized profession. which describes occupations in shortage and anticipated future demand.
Physical therapists are listed as being in shortage nationwide.
Instead, Mitchell worked on construction sites, as a waiter and delivery driver, before finding work as a research assistant.
He said the skills “gap” was most felt when working part-time in rural communities.
“Some of them had been waiting for months for a private appointment with a physiotherapist. And at the same time, I was sweeping the floors,” he says. “This discrepancy was quite shocking.”
Mitchell acknowledges that he has had “good options” outside of his line of work. But he hasn’t practiced for years.
“Even if I complete the process, I should probably start as a junior physiotherapist or someone who has completed a bachelor’s degree.
“At least for me it was a huge setback in my career, mainly because I didn’t get the chance to show what I knew.”
Mitchell is not alone in his experience, according to a new alliance of business groups, unions, social services and community organisations, called Activate Australia’s Skills.
In a It says 44 percent of permanent migrants (around 620,000 people) in Australia work well below their skill level. Within this group, 60 percent arrived through the skilled migration program.
This despite a “national skills crisis” where one profession in three, all sectors combined, is in shortage, cited the alliance, which calls for reforms to the skills recognition system.
Launched in Canberra on Tuesday, he also wrote an open letter to Parliament urging action to bring people with foreign qualifications already in Australia to areas that desperately need them.
A national skills shortage and an “endless maze of bureaucracy”
The latest SPl released by Jobs and Skills Australia last October showed 36 per cent of occupations assessed were in shortage. This is 5 per cent more than in 2022 and 17 per cent more than in 2021, Activate Australia’s Skills said.
Most of the new shortages were in high-skilled occupations like healthcare, engineering and business.
Settlement Services International (SSI), a nonprofit organization supporting newly arrived migrants and refugees, organized this nonpartisan campaign.
Its chief executive, Violet Roumeliotis, said skilled migrants could help address these shortages – if their qualifications were recognised.
“Almost half of all permanent migrants in this country are working below their skills. There are people who live in communities and neighborhoods with us, but they are fighting a very cumbersome and very expensive recognition system ” she said.
Roumeliotis said people are prevented from using their qualifications due to an “endless maze of red tape” and “barriers unrelated to their actual skills and experience”.
The open letter refers to high fees, outdated administrative requirements and slow and complex processes.
“Meanwhile, we have communities suffering from a skills shortage which means people cannot access essential services, prices are rising and businesses are put at risk, particularly in suburbs and the remote areas,” Roumeliotis said.
What does the alliance demand?
The campaign is supported by more than 50 organizations, including employers like Allianz, business groups like Master Builders Australia, and community organizations and unions including the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), the Federation of Councils of Ethnic Communities of Australia (FECCA). ) and the Australian Refugee Council.
The campaign has four main demands: creating a national government system for the recognition of all skills and qualifications abroad, including the creation of an ombudsman with regulatory powers, a “transparent” process with reduced red tape, financial support for those who are recognized and “employment of migrants”. career hub” to enable qualified people to return to the exercise of their profession.
“The government must take responsibility and remove barriers to ensure everyone can contribute,” the open letter said.
In a statement, Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles said the government had provided $1.8 million over two years to streamline skills assessments.
“This will apply to 1,900 skilled construction migrants from countries with comparable qualifications who wish to work in the Australian housebuilding sector. A further 2,600 in-flight applications for construction trades will be prioritized,” Giles said.
“The Albanian Government wants to see more Australians fill these vital roles. That’s why we have worked with states and territories to boost our VET sector through the National Skills Agreement and to remove financial barriers to study through to our free TAFE program.
At the same time, Mitchell said Australia had an opportunity “to improve the system now to be able to recruit those highly skilled professionals who can help Australian communities in the future”.
