Speech - Settlement Services International (SSI) Refugee and Migrant Jobs and Skills Summit, Sydney

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I begin by acknowledging the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Owners of the land you’re meeting on today. 

I pay my respects to elders past and present, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Australia is home to the world's oldest continuous living culture, and it’s also home to one of the world’s most diverse, multicultural populations.

The work SSI does to support migrants arriving in Australia is extremely valuable.

Skilled migrants and international students not only enhance Australia’s workforce and economy, they contribute to our rich cultural diversity.

I arrived here as a child with my parents.

My family moved to Australia in search of a better life and greater opportunities.

Migrants have helped build Australia into the country it is today – and they will continue to have an important role in its future.

The Albanese Government is building that future.

We are committed to a Future Made in Australia to secure our long-term economic prosperity and resilience.

We are committed to building 1-point-2 million new homes over the next 5 years and transitioning to a Net Zero economy by 2050.

But these ambitions won’t be realised without skilled workers - trained domestically and from overseas.

Last year’s Migration Review highlighted the challenges many migrants face when it comes to skills recognition.

In response, our government’s Migration Strategy outlined the need to improve the approach to skills recognition and assessment to better unlock the potential of migrants.

We have migrants here on visas who have skills we desperately need but can’t access because they can’t get them recognised.

That means many migrants are working in jobs well below their skill level.

This is clearly a waste.

For instance, they could be helping build new homes or working to decarbonise our economy.

Our new standards for skills assessing authorities will help address this – and improve outcomes for migrants, employers and the economy. 

Currently, migrants looking to have a skills assessment to support a visa application go through a long and expensive assessment.

Our changes will provide potential migrants from countries with similar qualifications with access to a faster, cheaper and evidence-based assessment.

Because we know that we can’t achieve our goals without the necessary highly skilled workforce.

And we recognise the value skilled migrant workers bring to a modern economy.

Our recent Budget included measures to streamline and prioritise skills assessments for more than 4,000 migrants who want to work in the housing and construction industry.

Getting these skilled workers into our workforce sooner will only have benefits for building a stronger future for Australia.

As you know, skills shortages are an international issue.

Which means we need to work to attract migrants – with in demand skills – and support them when they arrive here.

And that’s where SSI comes in.

Thank you for the support and resources you provide to skilled migrants and refugees.

And for helping individuals integrate well into the workforce.

And thankyou for your continued and constructive engagement with my office.

Together, we are building an Australia everyone can be proud of, one with a skilled workforce that can build a Future Made in Australia.

Thankyou.