Introduction:

Throughout this solutions paper, the issue of inequality and disadvantages in the Australian labour market regarding migrants will be discussed in detail. Explicitly, translingual English discrimination and translingual name discrimination will be discussed with current research being drawn as evidence, as well as, how this is problematic to the future of work in Australia. The scale and cost of this issue will also be analysed. Due to the consistently evolving economy and labour market, it is critical that these issues are rectified.

 

Response to essay topic:

As per the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) (2019), a migrant can be described to be a person who has resided in another country other than their home country for work or family reasons. Migrants have faced challenges within the Australian labour market for various reasons, failing to fully migrate into the Australian job market. These challenges have developed due to barriers in traditional employment, including discrimination due to the level of language proficiency and translingual name discrimination.

A significant issue in the Australian labour market can be identified as discrimination based on English proficiency, this can be known as translingual English discrimination (Dovchin & Dryden, 2022) which has significantly affected skilled transnational migrants. This form of discrimination can manifest from prejudices against non-native English speakers. Despite the high level of skills that migrants can carry, one in six migrants are earning less than the national minimum wage and migrant workers are 40% more likely to be underpaid compared to long-term Australian workers (Khadem, 2023). A study with 4,065 migrant workers found that 30% were being paid $12 or less per hour, and 45% were paid 15% or less, despite the current minimum wage being $17.70 (Farbenblum & Berg, 2017). The consequence of this discrimination extends beyond wages and has affected migrants’ overall quality of life, including accessing healthcare. Due to low wages stemming from translingual English discrimination, South Asian migrants report healthcare services are too costly for them to afford (Adhikari, Kaphle, Dhakal, et al., 2021). Addressing this stemming issue is crucial for the future of work in Australia, as it ensures the ethical treatment of migrants, which is essential for a unified and fair labour market.  

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Another significant issue in the Australian labour market is the discrimination faced by migrants with non-English names, an occurrence known as translingual name discrimination (Chen & Fang, 2023). This form of discrimination has affected skilled migrants and as a result, has negatively impacted their employment opportunities and career progressions. Research conducted by Mladen Adamovic and Andreas Leibbrandt (2023) indicates that ethnic minorities experience higher levels of discrimination in leadership roles. This research shows that applicants with English names received 26.8% positive responses, whilst non-English-named applicants only received 11.3%. This is further supported by a similar study conducted by Jehonathan Ben (2023), in which a participant discussed that by associating himself with whiteness, he had aimed to enhance his credibility when handing in his CV to potential jobs as he had faced prior discrimination due to his name. Social attitudes and cultural barriers, where stereotypes about migrants influence their experiences in the Australian labour workforce, can be seen as the underlying reasons for this inequality. Additionally, ignorance and lack of education on diversity and inclusion further complicate these biases. Addressing this issue is crucial for the future of work in a multicultural society like Australia, as persistent discrimination undermines ethics and fairness but leads to a waste of potential and talent.

 

Recommendations:

Recommendation 1:

Within Australia, there is an opportunity for improvement in the Australian workforce, notably, the treatment of migrants. As stated in the previous section, migrants are more likely to be underpaid by 40% (Khadem, 2023). Although the Australian Border Force (ABF) (2023) has continued to crack down on the exploitation of migrants, this injustice has continued to occur. Therefore, it is suggested that labour laws are more comprehensive for migrants and that reporting systems such as the ABF migrant exploitation system are publicized more. By implementing these recommendations, the possibility for economic growth and a fair labour market is increased.

 

Recommendation 2:

It is also suggested that the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) (n.d.) is promoted more as with opportunities to learn the English language through online programs or through in-person tutoring, more options for migrant workers become available. As stated in the article written by Stephanie Dryden, Ana Tankosić and Sender Dovchin (2021), a safe educational space is a prime environment for a migrant to begin learning a new language. To do this, a worker must create a space in which the migrant is able to express their emotions (Dryden, Tankosić & Dovchin, 2021). By promoting this service more, the job opportunities for migrants will increase as their English proficiency increases and therefore disadvantages in the Australian labour market for migrants are decreased.

 

Recommendation 3:

Within the Australian culture, racism has played a heavy role today. Over the last decade, the normalisation of racism within Australia has continued to grow, with one-third of all Australians having experienced racism in the workplace (Amnesty, 2021). To combat this ongoing view to address the translingual name discrimination, businesses and the Australian government need to understand the consequences of racism, not only on the individual level but the effect on the community as well and spread awareness about racism. As seen by Michaels, Board, Mujahid et al. (2022) journal, in communities with high levels of racism, there is an increase in worse health outcomes. Following this, the Australian government must implement more legal protection for migrants and provide support for those who have encountered discrimination due to their names. This support could include mental health support, financial support if translingual name discrimination has occurred during the hiring process and investigating the accused business of the translingual name discrimination. By addressing translingual discrimination, social equity and ethical obligations are being fulfilled, the labour market does not become inefficient, and businesses and the Australian government are forced to adapt to a changing economy that is becoming more multicultural each day.

 

Summary:

Throughout this paper, the issue of how the Australian labour market has continued to put migrant workers at a disadvantage, focusing on translingual English discrimination and translingual discrimination. These focuses discuss how discrimination has hindered the integration of migrants into the workforce, negatively affecting their wages and quality of life. Recommendations were explored as to address these issues including enhancing labour laws, promoting English language programs, and increasing awareness and legal protection against racism. By implementing these measure, fair treatment of migrants is ensured, highlighting the importance of the future of work in Australia.

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Reference list:

Adamovic, M. Leibbradt, A. (2022). Is there a glass ceiling for ethnic minorities to enter leadership positions? Evidence from a field experiment with over 12,000 job applications. The Leadership Quarterly, 34 (2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2022.101655

Adhikari, M. Kaphle, S.  Dhakal, Y. Duwadi, S. Subedi, R. Shakya, S. (2021). Too long to wait: South Asian migrants' experiences of accessing health care in Australia. BMC Public Health, 21 (1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12132-6

Amnesty. (2021, October 6). Does Australia have a racism problem? Does Australia have a racism problem? - Amnesty International Australia

Australian Border Force. (2023). ABF crackdown on migrant worker exploitation. ABF crackdown on migrant worker exploitation

Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. (n.d.). Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP). https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/settling-in-australia/amep/about-the-program

Ben, J. (2023). “People love talking about racism”: downplaying discrimination, and challenges to anti-racism among Eritrean migrants in Australia. Ethical and Racial Studies, 46 (5), 921 – 943. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2022.2081511

Chen, Y. Fang, F. (2023). Translingual Discrimination. Journal of Education, Language, and Ideology, 1(1), 166–169. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8370244

Dovchin, S. Dryden, S. (2022). Translingual Discrimination: Skilled Transnational Migrants in the Labour Market of Australia. Applied Linguistics, 43 (2), 365 – 388.  https://doi.org/:10.1093/applin/amab041

Dryden, S. Tankosić, A. Dovchin, S. (2021). Foreign language anxiety and translanguaging as an emotional safe space: Migrant English as a foreign language learners in Australia. System, 101 (1), 102593. https://doi.org./10.1016/j.system.2021.102593

Farbenblum, B. Berg, L. (2017). Migrant workers’ access to remedy for exploitation in Australia: the role of the national Fair Work Ombudsman. Australian Journal of Human Rights. 23(3), 310–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/1323238X.2017.1392478

International Organisation for Migration. (2019). Who is a migrant? Who is a Migrant? | International Organization for Migration (iom.int)

Khadem, N. (2023, May 23). One in six migrant workers are 'exploited', but many Australians are also paid below the national minimum wage. ABC News. One in six migrant workers are 'exploited', but many Australians are also paid below the national minimum wage - ABC News

Michaels, E. K. Board, C. Mujahid, M. Riddell, S. Chae, C. A. Johnson, D. H. Allen, R. C. Amani, M. (2022). Area-level racial prejudice and health : A systematic review. Health Psychology, 41 (3), 211 – 224. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001141