Migration, skills and politics. What type of skills shortage do we really have?
Migration, skills and politics. What type of skills shortage do we really have?
Event Date & Times:
Wednesday, 30 July 2025 6:00 pm - 7:30 pmAbout this event
We’re constantly told Australia has a skills shortage, especially in critical sectors like health. Yet, while we have a skilled migration program, thousands of qualified professionals already living in Australia are unable to work in their fields. Think doctors and engineers driving Ubers.
This forum will explore the disconnect between skilled migration and workforce integration, especially as global demographic shifts, like ageing populations and declining fertility, intensify competition for talent. If Australia doesn’t get its fundamentals right, we risk falling behind in productivity and competitiveness.
Join us as we unpack key questions:
- What are the barriers preventing skilled migrants from working in their professions? Are professional standards and licensing bodies part of the problem?
- How do these challenges differ for:
- Primary skilled migrants entering from offshore vs. international students trained in Australia?
- Secondary skilled migrants whose skills or English weren’t assessed during the visa process?
- Skilled migrants entering via other visa pathways?
- Which occupations are most affected, and why?
- Why aren’t existing English programs and bridging courses solving the issue?
- How much of the problem stems from employer attitudes toward overseas qualifications?
This is a vital conversation for policymakers, educators, employers and community leaders. Be part of the solution – help shape a more inclusive and effective skilled migration system for Australia’s future.
This event is proudly supported by Deakin University’s Faculty of Health and the Australian Multicultural Foundation.
We’re excited to have you join us. Please note that complimentary refreshments will be served from 5:30 PM, ahead of a prompt 6:00 PM start.
We look forward to seeing you there!
About the panellists
Dr Mamta Chauhan
Executive Director, VETASSESS
Dr Mamta Chauhan has experience in education, research, skill recognition and stakeholder engagement. Mamta provides oversight, leadership and management of migration skills assessments for 341 general professional occupations and assessment services to support membership organisations. She sits at various roundtable discussions and committees to discuss topics related to Australia’s skilled migration program, qualification frameworks and skills recognition.
Dr Karen Dunwoodie
Director of CREATE (Centre for Refugee Employment, Advocacy, Training and Education), Deakin University
Karen is the Director at Deakin CREATE (Centre for Refugee Employment, Advocacy, Training and Education). She has worked, volunteered, researched and advocated in the refugee sector in Australia for the past 14 years and her research interests include progressing the field of refugee resettlement, principally focussing on career development and the impact access to tertiary education and training may have on the lives on refugees and people seeking asylum. Similarly, Karen’s research interests extend to investigating why some employers may or may not be actively including people with a refugee background, as part of their employment diversity and inclusion strategies.
Ms Meena Naidu
General Manager, Education & Participation, AMES Australia
Meena serves as a strategic leader at AMES Australia, where she oversees the Education and Social Participation programs dedicated to empowering newly arrived migrants and refugees. With a deep commitment to fostering inclusive communities, Meena drives initiatives that support settlement, language acquisition and social integration, helping individuals build meaningful lives in Australia.
Dr Abul Rizvi PSM
Former Deputy Secretary, Federal Department of Immigration.
Abul Rizvi is a highly experienced economist and public policy expert with a PhD in immigration and population policy, who played a central role in shaping Australia’s modern immigration system during his senior leadership in the public service. He led major reforms in skilled migration, student and visitor programs and regional migration and contributed key research to the 2002 and 2007 Intergenerational Reports. A recipient of the Public Service Medal and Centenary Medal, Rizvi is now a prominent commentator and author on immigration and economic policy, including his recent book Population Shock and a televised address at the National Press Club.
Professor Gary Rogers
Professor and Dean of the School of Medicine at Deakin University.
Professor Gary Rogers is a distinguished medical educator, public health researcher and GP specialising in HIV medicine, currently serving as Dean of the School of Medicine at Deakin University since June 2020. His career spans clinical leadership in HIV care, public health research focused on LGBTQIA+ communities, and international mentorship in sexual health across the Pacific Islands. Over the past 15 years, he has become a leading figure in health professional education, holding prominent roles in ANZAHPE and AMEE and was honoured as a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2017.
Mr Mark Duckworth PSM
Senior Research Fellow and Political Advisor, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University.
Mark Duckworth PSM is a seasoned public sector leader with over 30 years of experience in Victoria and New South Wales, where he led major reforms in intergovernmental relations, multicultural affairs, public administration, and national security. He played a pivotal role in shaping Australia’s counter-terrorism framework post-9/11, earning the Public Service Medal in 2007, and contributed significantly to national strategies on disaster resilience, social cohesion, and preventing violent extremism. Since 2019, he has served as a Senior Research Fellow at Deakin University’s Alfred Deakin Institute, focusing on resilience and inclusive societies.
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