Do immigrants find it difficult to get employment in Australia?
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve taken taxis at least a dozen times. All but one of the drivers were immigrants to Australia. Out of curiosity, I asked each of them if they liked their job and if they were doing it by choice. Only one said yes—he loved driving and meeting new people.
The rest were driving taxis because they couldn’t get the jobs they wanted or were qualified for. Most had accepted this, but a few were understandably bitter about it.
They told me they came to Australia through the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), but when they arrived, the jobs they expected weren’t available. While many had friends who found the work they wanted, they also knew plenty of others in the same situation as them.
Most had managed to find some kind of work, but it wasn’t what they had planned when they moved. Two drivers said they were trying to save enough money to return to their home countries.
Those who decided to stay were doing so mainly for their children, hoping they would have better opportunities in Australia than back home. In the meantime, the drivers were stuck in low-paying jobs, with their skills and expensive education going unused.
They mentioned friends working as cleaners, stacking shelves in supermarkets, or doing home help jobs. Compared to that, they felt lucky to be driving taxis.
Hearing their stories really made me think.
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