Navigating Workplace Inclusion: Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) Skilled Migrants’ Inclusion Experiences and Agency in Australia

<p dir="ltr">Australia is a nation of immigrants and continues to encourage foreign talents to migrate. Although research has been conducted on Australian skilled migrants in the areas such as underemployment, occupational downward mobility, workplace discrimination and social integration, there is a lack of critical empirical research on recent skilled migrants, particularly regarding their experiences and agency in relation to workplace inclusion. Workplace inclusion fosters an environment where all employees feel valued, respected and empowered to contribute fully. It is vital for skilled migrants’ psychological well-being, job performance and career growth. </p><p dir="ltr">This study has adopted a critical realist (CR) lens to investigate how recent skilled migrants from non-English-speaking backgrounds (NESB) experience workplace inclusion in Australia. This study captures their perspectives of their inclusivity and examines how the interplay of structure and agency influences their experiences of inclusion and exclusion within their workplaces. More specifically, underpinned by Archer’s social theory, a qualitative study of semi-structured interviews was conducted with 30 participants of diverse backgrounds and different visa categories. The findings reveal that for NESB skilled migrants, workplace inclusion extends beyond the workplace itself, with their experiences varying significantly. This study also demonstrates their agential responses to existing structural and cultural barriers hindering their inclusion, as well as factors that foster workplace inclusion. Furthermore, intersecting identities such as their migrant status, ethnicity and gender shape their experiences and perceptions of inclusion which in turn influence their agency. </p><p dir="ltr">By extending the literature of workplace inclusion and migration, this study contributes to a deeper theoretical understanding of recent NESB skilled migrant workers’ workplace experiences and the factors shaping them through their agential responses.</p>