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The roadmap gathers in one place the information refugees and migrants need to know to have their overseas qualifications and experience recognised in Australia. Accountants, architects, lawyers, nurses and so on, can click on their profession and find all the relevant information listed as a series of steps to follow in simple language, catering to situations where English may not be a person’s first language.
Simplifying access to this information is a key priority of the Sydney Greater West CALD and Migrant Working Group, the collaborative group of organisations behind the roadmap.
Launched in 2026, the roadmap was researched by Dr Haydn Aarons, from ACU’s Faculty of Education and Arts, through funding received from Workforce Australia's Local Jobs Program Sydney Greater West.
The SESU's evaluation of SydWest Multicultural Services’ employment pathways program for recently arrived migrants and refugees found that while the program was highly successful in several areas, highly skilled and highly-credentialled refugees and migrants struggle to find employment in their former careers in Australia. This is not an issue that one organisation like SydWest can tackle on their own. It needs a coordinated, dedicated effort across industries to tackle the complex factors that lead refugees to be locked out of their former careers.
Our research showed that migrants are significantly more likely to work below their skill level, while employers continue to face labour and skills shortages. Given the range of systemic issues behind this, the research called for the establishment of a multi-agency working group in Western Sydney to work across sectors to address this issue.
The Sydney Greater West CaLD and Migrant Employment Working Group was established in early 2023 and now has 28 members, including representatives from all levels of government, settlement service providers, education providers, employers and an industry body.
Dr Haydn Aarons, ACU Sociologist, who led the SydWest evaluation, received funding from Workforce Australia's Local Jobs Program Sydney Greater West to undertake further research, which led to this roadmap tool to demystify the steps for achieving recognition of prior qualifications.
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