A Secure and Successful Multicultural Workforce - Submission to Jobs and Skills Summit Issues Paper
FECCA emphasises the importance of inclusive and equitable employment and migration policies in its Jobs and Skills Summit Issues Paper. Identifying systemic barriers, including biases, exploitation risks, and inefficient skills recognition processes, that hinder migrants’ full participation in the Australian workforce. FECCA advocates for reforms that enhance protections for migrant workers, improve pathways to permanency, and ensure fair and consistent recognition of skills and qualifications. Recommendations include transitioning from employer-sponsored to industry-sponsored visas, strengthening whistleblower protections, and aligning migration policies with the needs of family and humanitarian programs. Additionally, it highlights the underutilisation of bilingual and bicultural workers, urging structured national recognition and appropriate remuneration for their unique contributions, especially in the care sector.
FECCA also stresses the importance of addressing racism and unconscious bias in workplaces and proposes a national anti-racism strategy rooted in the lived experiences of affected communities. To foster inclusion, FECCA recommends better settlement support for migrants through multicultural community organisations, enhanced culturally appropriate training for care workers, and expanding resources for multicultural women and refugees. Calling for a holistic and forward-looking approach to migration and employment policies, focusing on creating a fairer, more inclusive society where migrants can fully realize their potential and contribute to Australia’s economic and social prosperity.
