The 20,000 additional skilled migrants set to come to Australia in 2005-06 may love our weather and lifestyle, but they will still find it a daunting experience.

The recent increase by 20,000 of skilled workforce clearly shows that migrants are becoming more important to Australia’s future. In total, more than 250,000 (non-humanitarian) migrants will arrive on these shores over the next two years.

Seventeen years ago I came to Sydney on a skilled independent migrant visa. This meant that I didn’t have an employer supporting my visa application. What I did have was the vision of how I wanted my life to look like, and I wanted to create it. I was healthy (medical test prior to my coming confirmed that), I spoke the language (interview at the Australian Embassy checked it), full of energy and enthusiasm. What I didn’t have was the knowledge and understanding of what relocating meant and what structures I needed to create my vision. Instead, I had to face the demons of feeling isolated, homesick, unaccepted and powerless. Assimilation took years of hard work, and the effects of culture shock were felt across all areas of my life, relationships, family, social life, health, parenting, finances, home environment, interests, hobbies, etc.

Relocating to another country is similar to the experiences of Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – the early days are new and exciting. Once the novelty passes, this excitement often changes into frustration and emotional pain, and can have extreme effects on the individual. The phenomenon is known as 'culture shock', and is not limited to people from different language, religion or political backgrounds. Culture is the way of life shared by the members of a particular group or society, and culture shock is experienced by anyone who moves from one physical and social environment to another. Relocation hits right into the essence of who we are, our belief and values systems, and framework, which impacts on our self-image, confidence, relationships and health.

In the words of the Senator Amanda Vanstone ’As we are competing globally for skilled workers, it is essential that Australian employers have a competitive edge in this area’.

With globalization on the rise, and countries like US announcing 10,500 unrestricted visas, the competition for skilled workers could become quite tough.

I am wondering if Australian employers are doing enough to compete and win the battle for the skilled workers in the global workforce market?

Relocation has two components – physical move of yourself and your belongings, and integration of your self. Many companies offer help and support for the physical move. It is the latter one that can present a real challenge, as not many companies offer adequate integration support.

The current support from the Government falls into category of “Settlement services”, basically English language tuition for adults, translation and interpreting services, information and referral. The expectations from skilled migrants are to be ‘self-reliant, able to negotiate Australia’s social and economic systems quickly and effectively, and receive no specific settlement services from government’.

A small number of migration consultants and relocation companies offer ‘cultural training’ programs. As a migrant from a very different cultural background I still question how can one be trained in different culture. By definition, training agenda is set by the trainer, and therefore cannot adequately address individual needs.

In a nutshell, the skilled migrant visa is based on the test where a specific number of points are awarded for skills, occupation, education, age (less than 45) and English ability. Once an applicant is granted a visa he/she is highly skilled in one of the fields on the priority list set by the Government, has a worthwhile occupation, is comparatively highly educated, at the prime age, and speaks English fairly well (this eliminates the need for the language tuition offered!). By taking this big step of relocating their whole life to a new continent, we can safely assume that the newcomer is open to opportunities, adventurous, prepared to take risks, and keen to learn.

Why would such a super-person need more support, you ask?

Those who find a job as soon as they arrive are pretty lucky, although they often work twice as hard because they are terrified of making mistakes. Those who have to look for a job may not be so lucky: “You have the knowledge and experience, but you feel like a nobody. Finding work was the hardest”, says an expatriate. “You can’t find work through networking because you don’t have any networks. I applied to hundreds of jobs in the papers, but it is hard because your previous experience is not taken seriously”.

Expatriates often feel a huge pressure from the society to ‘fit-in’. Multiculturalism and diversity is not about ‘fitting-in’. It is about integration, and it takes participation from both sides, the newcomers and the host-nationals.

My recent survey amongst a number of skilled migrants confirms that the most useful support would be a ‘one-on-one help from an intelligent host national, who also understands my position and provides direction and guidance. I can do the work myself’.

Government could compete in the global workforce market by encouraging employers to take some responsibility for integration of the newcomers. Timely and efficient integration programs could turn the potentially negative experiences into positive, and provide structure on how to create the vision that migrants already have in their heads. Preventing the negative feelings of isolation and powerlessness from taking over, could ensure that our new workforce becomes an asset, and not a liability.

As a fully integrated skilled migrant I agree that individuals need to be self-reliant and take responsibility for their integration within the Australian culture. Employers, who will benefit from the new workforce, can also take some responsibility, and provide the newcomers with direction on how to integrate. Working together to help our skilled migrants integrate might give Australia that competitive edge in the global workforce market.

Published: The Australian News, a monthly newspaper for migrants in the UK; www.expatexchange.com

©Challenging Directions, 2005