But behind this remarkable achievement is a story shared by hundreds of thousands of migrant and refugee women whose skills and qualifications are going untapped in Australia. Despite her business and accounting qualifications and professional experience, Farukh has faced barriers to rebuilding her career in Australia. 

Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC hosted the evening as part of Activate Her Skills, an initiative by SSI and the Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance to harness the economic potential of migrant and refugee women through better skills recognition.  The event brought together government, business and community leaders and women with lived experience to highlight the barriers preventing skilled migrant and refugee women from contributing their full expertise to Australia’s workforce and economy. 

Speaking at the event, Her Excellency said it was important to back women like Farukh as they seek to have their skills recognised, so they can bring their full expertise to Australian communities and workplaces. 

“We need qualified people right across our country, schools, health services, businesses everywhere. [This] is actually about pushing forward and seeking a pathway for women we should never have forgotten.” 

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said Farukh’s story reflected the experience of more than 340,000 skilled migrant and refugee women across the country who are working below their level of skill and qualification. 

“Farukh came to Australia with a business and accounting degree and years of experience. Women like her don’t lack skills, ambition or experience, but they confront a slow, costly and confusing process to get their skills recognised which wastes talent at an industrial scale. 

“That’s a huge missed opportunity for these women and their families, but also for an economy crying out for skilled workers. 

“This system wasn’t designed with women in mind. Women are more likely to arrive as the partner on someone else’s visa, which can mean their qualifications aren’t independently assessed as part of the migration process and they get less support to continue their careers,” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

Fashion had always been an interest for Farukh, and after arriving in Australia she got the opportunity to pursue that passion with The Social Outfit, a Sydney ethical fashion brand and registered charity that employs and trains people from refugee and migrant communities. 

“I was excited to get involved in fashion. I loved that The Social Outfit understood my abilities, and I’ve had the opportunity to combine my love for fashion with my financial skills. 

“But I loved being an accountant. It’s what I’ve trained for. For me, it’s joyful, I love working with numbers, this is what I want to do and what I know how to do. It’s really hard that I can’t get back into this,” Farukh said. 

Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance (AMWA) Executive Director Malini Raj said many women are balancing caring responsibilities with settling into a new country and rebuilding their careers. 

“Migrant women are more likely than men to end up in survival jobs: low-paid, insecure care and service work that fits around raising children and navigating a new country. A psychologist becomes a childcare worker. An engineer becomes a cleaner. Over time, that work wears down a woman’s confidence, her financial security and her independence, and for some it leaves them more exposed to economic dependence and abuse,” Ms Raj said. 

When migrant women can work in their professions, families are stronger, incomes rise, services improve and businesses gain the talent they need. That’s a win for women, a win for our communities and a win for the economy. 

The event was held as part of Activate Her Skills: Harnessing the economic potential of migrant women through better skills recognition.

The report, Between Borders: Refugee Realities in Thailand and Bangladesh, was launched in Australia today by Settlement Services International (SSI), Amnesty International Australia and the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN). 

The report, which follows a joint field mission to Bangladesh and Thailand in June, documents the worsening conditions facing refugees displaced from Myanmar and outlines recommendations for the Australian Government to strengthen protection, humanitarian assistance, expand pathways to safety and facilitate refugee-led solutions.

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis AM said the world’s attention was fading just as the needs of the Rohingya were growing, and that the findings showed Australia needed to take a stronger role in protecting refugees across the region.

“The crisis in Cox’s Bazar is deepening, but the world’s attention is moving on. Australia’s decisions on resettlement and funding reach well beyond our borders, and we have a responsibility to stay engaged with what is happening in the region.

“Australia must work with the international community to urgently close the funding gap, protect and expand resettlement pathways, and invest in education and livelihoods. The Rohingya people deserve more than a life of waiting,” she said.

Nearly a decade after hundreds of thousands fled violence in Myanmar in 2017, the report found resettlement or other lasting solutions remain as limited as ever. About 150,000 more Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh since early 2024, while the United Nations’ revised appeal for this year, US$710.5 million, is 26 per cent smaller than last year’s. 

The report is released as the International Court of Justice considers a case brought by The Gambia alleging Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya breached the Genocide Convention. The court heard evidence in January, and its judgment is expected to be delivered this year. 

“It is high time for concerted international efforts towards upholding the human rights, dignity, and access to services for the millions of refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons in our region, who are growing in numbers because of the protracted crisis in Myanmar and Afghanistan. Millions continue to live in fear, uncertainty and unacceptable conditions and are largely excluded from actively contributing to the economies and societies in which they live”, said Hafsar Tameesuddin and Klaus Dik Nielsen, Co-Secretaries General of APRRN.

“Australia should leverage its relationships, influence and capacity to make a real difference in Bangladesh and Thailand, paving the way for reaching refugee-led communities, as global attention and much-needed funding is rapidly falling. It is particularly important right now with major restructuring and downsizing plans of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which will have devastating effects on people who already live in dire circumstances.”

The report calls on the Australian Government to help close urgent humanitarian funding gaps, maintain and expand refugee resettlement and complementary pathways, and prioritise education, healthcare and livelihoods.

It also urges greater investment in refugee-led organisations, whose work is essential to supporting communities and ensuring refugees have a say in decisions affecting their futures.

Amnesty International Australia Refugee Rights Campaigner, Zaki Haidari, said the international community must not turn its back on Rohingya refugees as humanitarian needs continue to grow.

“When I visited Cox’s Bazar, I met children trying to get an education in overcrowded camps and families who have spent years waiting for a safe place to call home. Now, as their needs grow, the humanitarian support they depend on is shrinking.

“The Rohingya people have already endured years of persecution, displacement and uncertainty. They cannot be expected to live indefinitely in refugee camps without opportunities to rebuild their lives,” he said.

The report also looks at Thailand, where more than 42,000 working-age registered refugees in the border camps can now apply for legal work for the first time in decades. It says the change will only work with enough funding, language training, robust complaints processes and safeguards against discrimination and exploitation, and that people left out of work rights still need humanitarian support.

The three organisations are urging Australia to increase its contribution to close the funding gap in Thailand and work with regional partners to deliver lasting protection and opportunities for people displaced from Myanmar.

The report follows a joint field mission where representatives from the three organisations met with refugees, community leaders, United Nations agencies and humanitarian organisations to hear firsthand about the growing challenges facing the world’s largest stateless refugee population.

Read full report here.

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the cut, proposed by the Coalition today, would come as nearly 118 million people worldwide are displaced by conflict and persecution, while resettlement opportunities globally are shrinking. “The world is dealing with one of the biggest displacement crises in its history. This is exactly the wrong time for Australia to be pulling back,” she said. 

Ms Roumeliotis said Australia had a long-standing history of offering safety to people fleeing persecution. 

“The impact of this proposal would be felt by real people. Fewer places would mean refugees escaping persecution lose access to resettlement, which for many is one of the only lasting ways to rebuild their lives in safety,” she said. 

Ms Roumeliotis also raised concerns about proposals to screen out new arrivals based on their country of origin or religion. 

“Our migration system is built on fairness, equal opportunity and a fair go. Shutting people out because of where they were born or what they believe risks undermining that. 

“These changes are being justified as a way to reduce net overseas migration, but cutting the humanitarian program would make only a marginal difference to the headline number. It would have a small impact on overall migration, but an enormous impact on people fleeing persecution who need Australia’s protection most,” she said. 

With parties across the aisle releasing new migration policies in recent weeks, SSI is urging the debate to move beyond short-term targets. 

Ms Roumeliotis said the national conversation on migration should not be narrowed down to year-to-year numbers but rather focus on what Australia needs from its migration system over the long term.  

“Before we debate how big or small the migration program should be, we need to ask a much more important question: what do we want our migration system to achieve for Australia? 

“A National Migration Summit would bring people from every part of Australian society to the table to weigh up the evidence and the trade-offs and agree on a long-term plan for our migration system,” she said. 

More than 40 organisations now back SSI’s call for a summit, among them the Minerals Council of Australia, Tech Council of Australia, Council of Small Business Organisations Australia, Regional Australia Institute and the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association. 

Ms Roumeliotis said Australians deserve an informed debate about what deep cuts to migration would mean in practice, including worsening skills shortages, longer waiting lists, slower construction and weaker economic growth. 

“Recent announcements show the danger of building migration policy around a headline figure without thinking through the consequences or how the system works on the ground. Australia’s future deserves better,” she said. 

Join our call for action and sign up your organisation here. 

The Logan Hub, made possible through a $16 million joint investment by SSI and the Queensland Government, is much more than a new building. It is a welcoming community space to connect people with opportunity. The Hub brings together employment programs, vocational training, community services and practical support to help people realise their plans and goals. It also offers spaces for co-working, mentoring, workshops, training and community gatherings, creating opportunities for people to build skills, develop businesses and take their next step. 

The Hub was jointly opened today by The Honourable Fiona Simpson MP, Minister for Women, Minister for Women’s Economic Security, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, and Minister for Multiculturalism and SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis, AM. 

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis AM: 

“The bricks are in place, but the Logan Hub is still a canvas. It is somewhere you can meet a mentor, join a training program, work alongside other local businesses, attend a community event or connect with practical support, all in one welcoming space. Being led by community means continuing to listen, learn and change as the needs and aspirations of Logan evolve.” 

The Honourable Fiona Simpson MP – Minister for Women, Women’s Economic Security, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, and Multiculturalism: 

“I want to congratulate SSI on bringing this crucial community facility to life and for their ongoing work to make people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds feel welcome in their new home in Queensland. This Hub will bring people together and serve as a one-stop shop with on-site education and training support. It will build bridges of understanding between cultures for our newest Queenslanders, and I’m incredibly proud to officially open the Hub on behalf of the Queensland Government.” 

In an address to the National Press Club today, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced plans for a redesigned skilled migration points test, giving greater priority to occupations in areas such as construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture and trades.

Activate Australia’s Skills Campaign Director Dane Moores welcomed the government’s focus on addressing workforce shortages but said attracting the skills Australia needs is only half the equation.

“Skilled migration has an important role to play in addressing workforce shortages, but selecting the right people is only half the answer. We also need to make sure people can actually use those skills once they get here,” Mr Moores said.

“Alongside a strong skilled migration program, we need to make Australia’s skills and qualifications recognition system faster, fairer and more affordable, so qualified migrants can get into the jobs we need them in sooner.

“Right now, Australia is wasting migrant talent at an industrial scale. Almost half of permanent migrants are working below their skill level, while businesses and essential services are crying out for workers.

“This includes more than 1,000 plumbers and 1,300 electricians who are driving Ubers and stacking shelves instead of helping build the homes Australia desperately needs.

“It’s a no-brainer to pair these migration reforms with reform of Australia’s skills recognition system. The two need to go hand-in-hand if we want to maximise the contribution of new skilled migrants and unlock the skills of people already here.”

Minister Burke also announced plans to ensure the skilled migration program supports priority processing for a range of key sectors, including healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources and agriculture.

“These priorities occupations overlap with professions where Australia already has thousands of qualified migrants whose skills are going to waste, including over 20,000 qualified teachers, 16,000 nurses and 5,000 psychologists,” Mr Moores said.

“Australia invited these people here, but too often our systems stop them from contributing at their full potential due to barriers unrelated to their skills, like excessive fees, slow processes, a lack of information and maze of bureaucracy. We cannot keep repeating that cycle.

“If we are going to recruit skilled workers from overseas, we need to make sure the pathway from migration to employment actually works, while upholding the high standards Australians expect.”

Mr Moores said the federal government committed in the May budget to consult on a skills recognition commissioner to oversee and continually improve the system – a solution supported by close to 140 businesses, civil society groups and unions.

“A national skills recognition commissioner would be a game changer. Whatever your view on migration numbers, there should be common ground that migrants already here – and those Australia chooses to bring here in future – should be able to use their skills and qualifications if they meet Australian standards.

“A skills recognition commissioner would provide independent oversight, shine a light on excessive costs and delays, and drive continuous improvement across the system. That means more nurses in hospitals, more teachers in classrooms, more tradies building homes and more skilled workers helping businesses grow.

“We understand that consultation on the Skills Recognition Commissioner is expected to begin  next year. We encourage the government to commence this work sooner rather than later, so that no further time is lost. Every week and every month of delay means more skilled people missing out on the opportunity to work at their full capability.

“Skilled migration reform and skills recognition reform need to move together.”

The Activate Australia’s Skills campaign is calling for key skills recognition reforms:

• Establish one national governance system for all overseas skills and qualifications recognition, including a Commissioner with regulatory power to provide independent oversight and transparency.
• Create a more joined-up system that links skills recognition for migration purposes with licensing and accreditation for employment purposes.
• Provide financial support for individuals to remove cost barriers and an online portal with all the information so people know what they need to do.
• Set up Career Gateway Hubs with skills recognition navigators to guide people through the skills recognition process and get them working in their professions again.

Activate Australia’s Skills is convened by SSI.

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said Australia needs a more mature conversation about migration, grounded in evidence and honest about the consequences and trade-offs, because the stakes are too high to get it wrong.  

“Before we debate how big or small the migration program should be, we need to ask a much more important question: what do we want our migration system to achieve for Australia?” she said.  

“To build a migration system that works for all Australians, we need to bring together voices from across Australian society at a National Migration Summit, put the evidence and trade-offs on the table, and develop a long-term roadmap for Australia’s migration system.” 

Ms Roumeliotis said more than 40 organisations have joined SSI’s call for a National Migration Summit, including leading peak bodies such as the Minerals Council of Australia, Tech Council of Australia, Council of Small Business Organisations Australia, Regional Australia Institute and the Australian Restaurant and Café Association 

“When organisations representing business, regional Australia, multicultural communities, settlement services and social services all agree that the conversation needs to change, government should take notice.” 

Ms Roumeliotis said proposals to dramatically cut migration would have real consequences for Australians that political leaders need to be upfront about – from deepening skills shortages and worsening waiting lists to delaying construction and weakening economic growth. 

“Australians deserve an honest conversation about the trade-offs from drastically cutting migration. Any proposal to significantly reduce migration without being upfront about what cuts of this scale would mean for Australians, our standard of living and our economy is not telling the full story.“ 

“Australians are right to be concerned about housing affordability, infrastructure pressures and access to services. These are legitimate concerns that deserve serious answers. 

“But cutting migration does not build a single home, add a train service or create a hospital bed. Those challenges require housing, infrastructure and workforce solutions.” 

Ms Roumeliotis said the latest proposal also demonstrated the risks of designing migration policy around headline numbers without considering how the system needs to work in practice. 

“Reducing bridging visas, for example, might sound sensible in theory, but these visas have also enabled Australia to respond when extraordinary events unfold overseas. 

“When Russia invaded Ukraine and when the Taliban seized control of Kabul, Australia needed flexibility in its migration system to respond quickly to people facing humanitarian crises. 

“A migration system designed solely around reducing numbers risks becoming too rigid to respond when the world changes.” 

Join our call for action and sign up your organisation here. 

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the reported decision comes as record numbers of people around the world are displaced by conflict, persecution and humanitarian crises, while settlement places globally are drastically shrinking.

“At a time when the world faces one of the largest displacement crises in human history, Australia should be stepping up, not stepping back,” she said

“Labor has repeatedly articulated an aspiration to increase Australia’s humanitarian intake to 27,000 places a year. Instead, we are seeing a reduction of more than 30 per cent. This is not simply a failure to meet an aspiration. It is a backflip whose impact will fall on the world’s most vulnerable.”

The Australian Labor Party’s platform taken to the 2025 national conference sets out an aspiration to progressively increasing Australia’s government-funded humanitarian intake to 27,000 places annually.

“Australians were promised a stronger humanitarian response. What has been proposed is the exact opposite,” said Ms Roumeliotis.

“The consequence of this decision is not abstract. It means thousands of refugees fleeing persecution will not have access to one of the few durable solutions available through refugee resettlement.

“These changes are being made under the guise of reducing overseas net migration, but the actual impact on migration numbers is marginal at best. This decision is shutting out people who most need to come to Australia.”

The reported reduction follows growing international pressure on refugee resettlement pathways given the United States withdrawing from longstanding refugee settlement commitments, which has already drastically reduced the number of places available globally.

“We should not be taking cues from governments that are retreating from their humanitarian obligations,” she said.

“Australia has a proud history of providing protection to people fleeing conflict and persecution, and a refugee settlement program that has long been regarded as among the best in the world.”

According to the latest data from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), approximately 117.8 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced by the end of 2025, including more than 41 million refugees and people in need of international protection. Despite this unprecedented level of global need, the number of refugees resettled through official pathways has fallen sharply.

“These figures should be a call to action. Instead, Australia is choosing to shirk its responsibility.”

SSI has consistently called for Australia to increase its humanitarian intake to 27,000 places and to maintain a strong, predictable and generous refugee resettlement program that reflects both community expectations and Australia’s international responsibilities.

“Australia is a stronger, more prosperous and more cohesive nation because generations of refugees have been welcomed here. Now is not the time to close the door to safety.”

Ms Roumeliotis said Australia’s refugee resettlement sector has shown time and again a willingness and capacity to do its part to help the world’s most vulnerable.

“We demonstrated this in 2016 with the successful resettlement of the one-off intake of an additional 12,000 refugees from Iraq and Syria, and then again in 2021, when we had less than 72 hours to prepare for refugees fleeing the Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan.

“We are agile, resourceful, and ready to do our part to support both people fleeing war and persecution and our government as it works to resettle this cohort. All we’re asking the government to do is open the door.”

Updated SSI statement: Prime Minister reaffirms Australia’s humanitarian leadership

Daisha, whose sings powerful and soulful ballads, will perform at SSI’s World of Cultures festival, a free multicultural arts celebration on August 29, from 3pm to 7pm at the iconic Kingston Butter Factory.

Daisha, born and raised in Logan, said she wanted young Indigenous and culturally diverse people to see themselves represented on the World of Cultures stage.

“We’re allowed to be on these stages, we are allowed to be in these spaces,” she said.

Run by non-profit organisation SSI as part of Queensland Multicultural Month, World of Cultures offers a family-friendly, immersive cultural experience in the heart of one of Australia’s most multicultural cities.

Now in its fifth year, Rose Vearing, World of Cultures organiser and Head of Community Wellbeing and Health at SSI, said she was proud of how the festival had grown alongside Logan itself.

“World of Cultures reflects the very best of Logan, a city where diversity doesn’t just get celebrated, it drives creativity, connection, belonging and opportunity. The festival gives communities a space to share their culture with pride and invites everyone to experience the richness of the world right here in Logan.”

The atmospheric festival showcases culturally and linguistically diverse local artists, musicians, food vendors and market stallholders through a live outdoor stage, artisan stalls, a cultural fashion show, roving performers and children’s activities.

At the heart of the festival is a focus on giving back to the community that creates it and building opportunities for migrant and refugee creatives to reach a wider audience.

“Every year we invest in local performers, artists, cultural groups, market stallholders and food vendors, giving people the chance to showcase their talents, share their stories and generate real economic benefit,” Ms Vearing said.

World of Cultures is proudly held on Yagara and Yugambeh Lands. 

More information and register for the free event here.

SSI’s new submission Shaping the future of Employment Services, in response to the government’s Employment Services Discussion Paper, commends the government’s intention to ensure employment support goes beyond one size fits all and emphasised the importance of tailoring supports for the full diversity of modern Australia. 

As noted in the Government’s Rebuilding Employment Services report in 2024, specialist employment services that tailor their support to the diverse needs of Australian communities deliver better outcomes for jobseekers. 

SSI’s Executive General Manager Service Delivery Eric Harper said that without this tailored support, jobseekers from refugee and migrant backgrounds could miss out. 

“We know from experience, which is actually backed by data, that specialist services help participants achieve job readiness sooner, and get into jobs more quickly, than generalist support. 

“The redesign provides an important opportunity to embed specialist services for people who face barriers that mainstream employment services are not always equipped to address.” 

Mr Harper said SSI’s submission focuses on the need for an employment services system designed for the reality that Australia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. 

“Jobseekers from these diverse backgrounds face particular employment barriers, such as limited local networks and experience, adjusting to different recruitment processes and difficulty conveying their skills to employers. 

“Our experience across employment and settlement shows people make the most progress when support is strengths-based, culturally safe and trauma-informed, when it’s practical and connected to employers, and when it continues beyond someone starting a job,” said Mr Harper. 

Mr Harper welcomed the government’s recognition of the need for tailored support.  

“The opportunity now is to translate that principle into the design of the new system, with specialist capability, participant choice and the right intensity of support built in from the outset. That means clear assessment and referral pathways, participant choice, continuity of support and funding that reflects the real cost of delivering high-quality specialist services. 

“Specialisation should be treated as a core service-quality requirement, covering settlement-informed assessment, bilingual and bicultural engagement, interpreter access, English language support for employment, recognition of overseas skills and qualifications, culturally capable employer engagement, and post-placement support,” Mr Harper said. 

SSI’s submission points to its own Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) program as evidence of how specialist employment expertise can be combined with settlement knowledge and cultural capability to respond to intersecting barriers to work and connect people to meaningful employment. 

Since November 2025, SSI has delivered specialist IEA services across 39 locations in NSW, Queensland and Victoria, supporting more than 2,500 refugees living with disability, injury or health conditions. It is one of only two IEA refugee-specialist providers nationally. 

“By building on what we know works in specialist employment programs, we can design a system that better harnesses people’s skills and experience, gives employers access to a broader talent pool, and helps refugee and migrant jobseekers build meaningful careers,” Mr Harper said. 

Read SSI’s full submission: Shaping the future of Employment Services