A new American Dream: Closer to home?

Recently at a networking event in Sydney while engaging in the expected small talk over canapes, I was suddenly singled out and questioned about why my English was so good, considering I’m a migrant. I was then asked about why I still have 'an accent.’ 

To those who have always felt as if they belong in Australia these kind of questions might seem innocuous. Perhaps you might have asked them yourself and meant no offence. 

But what they instantly give me - and what I believe they give a lot of people of colour living in this country - is an abrupt and painful reminder about my skin colour. I was born in Sri Lanka. If I was from Sweden or France, this question is unlikely to have been directed at me, even though English isn’t the predominant language in these nations either. 

For newcomers to Australia, it’s simple moments like these that always prompt the question: am I in the right place?

I left my country of birth at the age of 18 to pursue opportunities here in Sydney. Like other migrants, I fully expected my identity to be challenged. It was a challenge I embraced. 

And I’m now proud to call Australia my home. It has afforded me opportunities for which I’m grateful.

 But at times, I feel the pressure to properly ‘assimilate’ means an expectation I will abandon some of the things I hold most dear – the culture that connects me to my family and my past. It’s a pressure that seems to apply overwhelmingly to non-European newcomers. 

Surveys show support for immigration in Australia is high compared with other nations. And Australia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, with close to 26 per cent of us born overseas. 

But if Australia is to compete for talent with newly desirable economies in our region there’s plenty of room for improvement. 

This year’s newly released Scanlon-Monash Index of Social Cohesion ranks Australia on five different indicators of integration. 2019 shows a sharp drop in the ‘sense of worth’ and ‘sense of belonging’ categories. In fact we’re now lower in these categories than we have been in the past twelve Scanlon surveys.

In addition, reported experiences of discrimination are now at their highest since 2007. 

 It’s something all immigrants have felt. I often feel myself being patronised and dismissed until I mention my job title; an Economist and Policy Analyst at a domestic public policy think tank. I've lost track of how many conversations I’ve had with groups of people where sometimes my opinion is ignored until I offer my credentials. 

That's a common experience. Less common, but always lingering, are encounters on the street. An elderly woman I once offered to help with her bags in North Ryde, let loose at me with a string of profanity. The abuse was unsettling, but what actually stuck with me was a comment from a bystander who told me she probably did it because I looked different. 

 These subtle things doubtless contribute to much bigger problems. A disproportionate few migrants find their way to leadership positions. Diversity is lacking in sports, media, creative industries, and – especially – in politics. 

 But despite our quieter place in Australian life, migrants are needed more than ever. 

Skilled migrants have a demonstrably positive fiscal impact. We typically enter Australia at working age, when our taxable income is highest and usage of government services is lowest. 

Education is one of Australia’s largest exports and provides significant economic benefits to this nation. My $90,000 degree will testify to that.  

But the flow of high-skilled migrants to Australia won’t be endless. With nations like India, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan offering more lucrative opportunities to keep and attract our region’s talent, Australia needs to ensure its skilled migrants and international students feel like Australia can really be home.

It is no secret that international students often feel isolated at universities. Many simply leave Australia to go back home, taking their high-earning potential with them.  

 There are some technical changes we can do to improve this. 

 We could streamline immigration policy to promote permanent residency. In my five years in Australia, I've been on three different visas and sometimes the arduous and costly process itself can make you question your path.

But we also need to focus on the softer elements of the problem. Most skilled migrants tend to succeed financially, but we need to work on why they don't tend to engage comfortably with civic life the same way they would if they were in their home country. 

Some of the responsibility here falls on us migrants. We need to truly believe, that if we are at the table, we deserve a decent chair.