The Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) is grateful for the opportunity to make a submission to the Department of Employment and Workforce Relations (DEWR) on Best Practice Principles and Standards for Skilled Migration Assessing Authorities.
As the peak body for migrant and refugee settlement services in Australia, we advocate for settlement outcomes that lead to people of migrant and refugee backgrounds fully participating and thriving in society.
Migrants face numerous challenges in navigating and accessing Australian skill assessment procedures. In this submission, based on our knowledge and engagement with the settlement sector and broader multicultural communities, we provide an overview of the concerns with current skill assessment authorities and offer recommendations to improve processes and institutions so that migrants’ skills are appropriately and fairly recognised in Australia. Better skills assessment will strengthen Australia’s competitiveness in attracting international talent and result in mutual benefits for migrants and the Australian economy.