- Hon Carmel Sepuloni
- Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan
Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities Priyanca Radhakrishnan has today launched a plan to boost employment outcomes for former refugees, recent migrants and ethnic communities.
“Our ethnic communities are a vital part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s social fabric and economy. The benefits of diversity are clear in that these communities bring skills, knowledge, innovative thinking, and networks that make our country more vibrant and our economy stronger,” Priyanca Radhakrishnan said.
“These communities make up nearly 20 per cent of New Zealand’s population, however despite record low unemployment, too many members of those communities continue to face barriers that prevent them accessing and succeeding in the labour market – that needs to change.”
The Former Refugees, Recent Migrants and Ethnic Communities Employment Action Plan (the Action Plan) brings together current and planned programmes of work across Government to provide better support for these groups to develop their skills, gain work experience and move into more sustainable and rewarding work, while reducing their chances of experiencing negative employment outcomes.
“Some of the challenges raised by people from these communities include struggling to find work that they are well qualified for; being paid significantly less than counterparts from other ethnicities; cultural and language barriers and the discrimination that impacts initial recruitment and career progression,” Priyanca Radhakrishnan said.
“It is vital that our workplaces are safe, supportive environments for everyone who calls New Zealand home. The Action Plan builds on Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michael Wood’s ongoing work to end migrant exploitation, forced labour, and human trafficking. It also includes actions to promote the value of diversity to the private sector, and tailor government support so that it better suits the needs of these groups.
“Together we can lift the employment outcomes for all New Zealanders so we can recover from COVID-19 better than we were before,” Priyanca Radhakrishnan said.
The Action Plan is one of seven population-specific employment action plans that support the Government’s wider Employment Strategy led by the Minister for Social Development and Employment, Hon Carmel Sepuloni.
“This new Action Plan adds to the toolbox we’ve got to support Aotearoa New Zealand to become a more productive, sustainable and inclusive economy, for all New Zealanders,” Carmel Sepuloni said.
“The Government’s Employment Strategy aims to improve people’s wellbeing through work. To achieve this, it is critical that we unlock our people’s potential by addressing inequities in our society and ensuring people have the support they need to grow their skills, advance their careers, and access decent, stable work.”
You can read the action plan here:
