Focus on the BIG picture.
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

Study Highlights Impact of Accent on Employment Opportunities for Migrant Women in Australia

Research reveals that women with foreign accents face significant barriers in the job market compared to their male counterparts and non-foreign-accented peers.
Maria, a finance sector professional who migrated from Russia to Australia, exemplifies the challenges faced by skilled migrants seeking employment advancements.

With a bachelor’s degree from her home country and a master’s degree from Australia, Maria currently navigates her career in a contract role while undertaking further studies.

She expresses aspirations for a more client-facing position but acknowledges the hurdles associated with her migrant status, particularly emphasizing language barriers and workplace jargon.

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Australian National University has highlighted the challenges that women with foreign accents encounter in the Australian job market.

Ksenia Gnevsheva, the lead author of the study, noted that women are more adversely affected by accent-related perceptions than men.

While men with foreign accents were rated equally employable regardless of their linguistic backgrounds, women faced a 'double disadvantage.'

According to the 2021 Census, nearly one quarter of Australians speak a language other than English at home, underscoring the country’s linguistic diversity.

This diversity has not shielded non-native English speakers from discrimination.

The study utilized a 'perception experiment' with audio clips of speakers from various backgrounds, including native English speakers and those with Russian or Mandarin as their first languages.

Participants rated the speakers on their employability based on the audio clips.

The findings revealed that Anglo women were perceived as the most employable, while second-language English-speaking women, including Russian speakers, were rated the least employable.

The survey results suggest a significant gap in employability perceptions due to linguistic backgrounds, particularly disadvantaging women.

The researchers identified that discrimination based on accents, although less frequently reported than race or religious discrimination, is a prevalent issue.

Dr. Astrid Perry, head of Women, Equity and Domestic and Family Violence at Settlement Services International, indicated that this discrimination manifests in the human services sector, where many migrant women are forced to restart their careers despite having significant qualifications and professional experience from their home countries.

The ANU study concludes that while Australian law prohibits discrimination based on age, disability, race, sex, and other attributes, it does not cover discrimination based on accents, which can serve as a proxy for other forms of bias.

The research advocates for educating HR professionals and decision-makers about bias in hiring practices to create a more inclusive workforce that values diverse experiences.

Maria’s experiences resonate with the study’s findings; she articulates the need for migrant professionals to exert extra effort to achieve the same career milestones as their Australian-born peers.

The implications of language-based discrimination in the labor market remain a significant concern as Australia continues to navigate its multicultural identity.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
House GOP Blocks Second Democratic Bid to Release Epstein Documents
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Provocative Times Square Billboard Urges New Yorkers to ‘Move to Ohio’ Over Mamdani
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Lawmakers Report Overcrowded Conditions at Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' Detention Facility
Taiwan’s Distant‑Water Fishing Industry Under Scrutiny for Migrant Worker Abuse
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
GAO Report Identifies Major Failures by Secret Service Ahead of Trump Rally Shooting
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
U.S. State Department Initiates Layoffs of Over 1,300 Employees
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Trump Administration Targets Chinese Influence in Agriculture
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
×