Refugees and employment: The effect of visible difference on discrimination

Abstract

This is the final report of the sociological research project Refugees and employment: the effect of visible difference on discrimination funded by the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Project scheme. Although this scheme predominantly funds ‘fundamental’, theoretically-oriented research, the current project lends itself to policy applications; hence this report seeks not only to communicate the findings, but to address a number of policy implications in the areas of refugee resettlement, qualification and skills recognition, employment assistance for culturally and linguistically diverse migrants and especially refugees, and equal opportunity and anti-discrimination. We are keen to communicate the findings to policymakers and service providers through this report, rather than solely addressing academic audiences. We would appreciate feedback on this report and are enthusiastic to establish research and other links with government and non-governmental agencies in the area of migrant settlement and employment, equal opportunity and anti-discrimination. The project was based at Murdoch University and ran for three years (2004, 2005, 2006). The chief investigators were Dr Val Colic-Peisker and Dr Farida Tilbury from Murdoch University and Dr Nonja Peters from Curtin University