innovations in support services for immigrants and employers: comments and observations

5/21/2018 Innovations in Support Services for Immigrants and Employers: Comments and observations

1/13

Innovations in SupportServices for Immigrants

and EmployersComments and observations


2/13

Purpose:

To draw attention to the disparate natureof the process of recognition ofimmigrants skills and qualifications

To raise some questions regarding currentarrangements in the recognition processesof migrant skills and qualifications

To suggest some innovative ways in whichsome of the issues raised might beapproached


3/13

A four stage recognition process

There are at least four formal and de factorecognition processes that immigrants face:

Pre-migration assessment of qualifications formigration purposes; Post-arrival assessment by relevant

professional/trade/other body; Assessments by other organisations, e.g.

universities and institutions of further study; Assessments by employers in deciding

whether to employ or not immigrantapplicants


4/13

Assessments of comparative levelsof academic, professional, tradequalifications

Organisations, such as NOOSR and TradeRecognition Australia have amassed a great

deal of information about the nature andcontent of academic and trade trainingsystems and content in a large number ofcountries and provide ready assessments ofqualifications, such as those concerning

assessments for migration purposes. On arrival migrants are again reassessed, or

are referred to external authorised bodies forassessment.


5/13

Assessment of credentials orcompetency-based assessments?

Assessment based on credentials is importantbut, in my view, on its own, is insufficient inassessing the requisite range of skills for

practice. It does not tell us in any detail about the skills

and competencies that the individual possesses(or lacks) and their appropriateness/adequacyfor practice;

Nor does it tell us about any other additionalskills, experiences and attributes (e.g. LOTE)that the person possesses that may be importantfor practice in a culturally and linguisticallydiverse society and in a global context.


6/13

The importance of context

Following on from the last point, context isimportant and is a very real challenge forassessors.

It is also a major challenge for migrants. Lack of familiarity with a new society, with thecultural context in which the particularprofession is practiced.

Disorientation, settlement pressures to secure an

income Language and communication difficulties

exacerbated by unfamiliarity and the addedanxiety that this can produce, make the situationmigrants are faced with especially difficult.


7/13

Is assessment an enablingprocess or does it have(unintended) adverse effects?

Time has consequences. The longer it takesto assess and recognise qualifications, the

greater the cost to the migrant. And the costs are not only financial!!! There is a double negative effect here:

knowledge and skills decay with non practiceand, by not practicing their occupation, it isdifficult for migrants to keep up with ongoingdevelopments in their field.

There are psychological and health costs aswell as social costs!


8/13

Supports for thosequalified/trained abroad: Quovadis?

The current provisions that would support migrants leavemuch to be desired.

It is interesting to note that with the cutbacks in

funding/severe limiting of English language programs, thefew provisions that were designed to assist the overseastrained (e.g. ESL for overseas doctors and healthprofessional, teachers, etc.) are simply not on offer or areseverely delimited.

Similarly, welfare programs (e.g. ethnic specific programsand services), which provided supports to migrants, have

also been severely affected by government cutbacks andthe need to balance budgets

The introduction of the so-called user pays principle, hasfurther exacerbated the capacity of migrants to availthemselves of what used to be free government andcommunity services.


9/13

The need for research intosupports that migrants requireand their availability

The last review that was carried out into migrant servicesand programs in Australia was in 1988, the so-calledFitzgerald Review or ROMAMPAS.

In light of the changes that have occurred in programs andservices, it would seem appropriate to carry out such areview, especially with the overseas trained in mind.

In Australia, the modality of community programs has beenbased on a welfarist (deficit) approach that regardsmigrants as needy, rather than as capable people who, at aparticular stage of their settlement into a new society,

require the communitys support to become productivemembers of the community.

A paradigm shift in thinking and approach is required!!!


10/13

A cooperative/partnershipapproach between government,industry and community

Australia has a strong civil society, includinga large network of ethnic community groupsand organisations.

Yet, it is surprising how often the link andrelationships between these potentialsupports for the overseas trained and forassessing authorities are not developed.

I would suggest that exploiting this potentialcan contribute greatly to the efforts of bothrecognition/assessing authorities andgovernment in supporting the overseastrained. (Many migrants are employers too!)


11/13

Some comments regarding therisk of discrimination/unequaltreatment of the overseas trained

In a major federal government study into Australianarrangements for the recognition of skills andqualifications in a cluster of professions and trades, in

the 1990s, Stephen Castles, observed that althoughovert discrimination did not exist, nevertheless, thedemand for ever higher levels of English and the sinequa non insistence on local work experience, whilediscounting past experiences elsewhere, could beregarded as a form of discrimination. His argument,

as I recall, was that discrimination is not just direct orindirect (systemic), but includes the failure to providefor a well established need (e.g. language services)

This view was also affirmed by the Victorian TaskForce into Migrant Skills and Qualifications, in 1990.


12/13

Information provision

The right to know and to be informed, is afundamental human right.

In the age of the internet this task is madeeasy and less costly.

However, from our past experience, noteveryone can access the net and nor can itbe, for some (?), at least, a substitute for

direct face-to-face communication. Advanced information provision and careerand other qualification recognition andemployment related information needs to beavailable.


13/13

The need for advocacy

As Charles Taylor (a Canadian) has argued,recognition is about acknowledgement anddemonstration of respect. Though unintended, non-

recognition is never an innocent exercise, it canwound and injure. Advocating on behalf of those who require our

support, regardless of the positions we occupy, sothat they may receive fair, timely and not tooonerously costly attention and support, is an

obligation that we all share. As Taylor argues there are things we owe to

strangers.

Thank you.

innovations in support services for immigrants and employers: comments and observations

Documents