“I’m Not Sure if That Was a Cultural Thing”: Stories from NESB Skilled Migrant Women in Australia

The Australian skilled migration scheme has been designed to attract migrants who will contribute to Australia’s economic growth (ABS, 2009b, DIAC 2012). While skilled migrants provide a substantial net contribution of almost $600 million to Australia's economy initially in their first year of migration by their participation in the labor force, and increasingly over time (ABS, 2009b), there is minimal information available on the career progression of skilled migrants - and how this compares to individuals’ careers pre-migration. The research project presented in this paper aimed to answer the following research question: What are the individual experiences of NESB women migrants in Australia who are deemed ‘successful’ in their career, and how have these women navigated their career pathways? In this paper, we present findings related to the participants’ initial arrival and subsequent employment in Australia. We have started “at the beginning” of these women’s lives in Australia in order to understand ...