Careers and Job Prospect

Many migrants from Malaysia who have arrived in recent times are usually skilled professionals with permanent residency status, allowing them work rights in many if not most places. Some are graduates from Australia who had previously returned to Malaysia or work elsewhere and build their initial careers outside Australia. Some are non-Australian professionals trained outside Australia during their initial working careers.

I met a Malaysian who works in Sydney yesterday at lunch who lamented the fact that her brother who graduated from an Australian university had not been able to get a job after moving to Australia about six months ago. Upon further enquiry, she told me her brother had moved to Malaysia upon his graduation and started his career there. He then moved to a few countries including the Middle East as his last posting, where he was also able to get a job shortly upon his arrival given his qualification and experience.

Thinking that he was an Australian graduate with some global experience, he predicted that a permanent move back to Australia would be an easy transition. The six months of job search in Sydney proved how challenging it was to secure a job here.

I am sure many Malaysians in Sydney or other first generation migrant can relate to this. I know of several people from Malaysia who have settled here for the last few years are still struggling to get their careers restarted. Many of them are here to give their children a better start and are willing to sacrifice their own careers in the process. They have sold all their possessions back in Malaysia and have uprooted themselves from all their connections, families, network etc. with the hope that the next generation will be able to start with a better life.


If one looks back at how many first generation migrants started in Europe, America or Australia, it is not uncommon to observe that the traditional stereotype still exists. You can still see many Asians migrants running fish & chips shops, laundry, news agent, grocery store etc. Even the popular TV series Simpsons, depicts a PhD holder of Indian origin, Dr. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Ph.D. Jr. as running a mini-mart in the USA.



Having worked in Australia for more than five years, I really do not find significant differences in the work ethics and requirements in Asia and in Australia. Many will say that you'll need 3-5 years of local Australian experience before you can even get any decent job here. Even entry level jobs or jobs many of us take from granted, kitchen hand, waiting jobs at restaurant, cashiering seems to be rare and equally challenging to secure as well.

I am in the process of looking for a new role and I find the whole process of job hunting to be challenging as well and you get knocked down one after another attempt. It can be psychological draining on the soul but  it is something many of us will have to overcome. Many have done it and many will continue to.