'You have to start from the beginning': The job search experience of skilled dual-career migrant couples

Abstract

Immigration policy in Australia emphasises skilled, humanitarian and family-reunion based intakes. In recent years the main focus has been on skilled migrants, as this group have become critical to filling gaps in the labour market. There is little research on what happens to migrants and their families after arrival, especially their job seeking experiences. This paper focuses on the job seeking experiences of skilled migrant couples, including those who have children. It reports on exploratory research with 10 skilled migrants from Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) countries. The key findings show that barriers such as language and lack of local work experience persist. The research also reveals that these migrants manage and negotiate job acquisition as couples, rather than as isolated individuals. Skilled dual-career migrant families make choices within the family in the process of seeking employment, and this raises additional barriers to their successful engagement with the labour market.