Employers' Attitudes and Practices on the Hiring of Immigrants

Abstract

A social issue to emerge in relation to skilled immigration is the severe difficulties many immigrants encounter in finding employment. A mixed method study on employers’ experiences, practices and policy regarding employing recent immigrants was conducted. A postal survey produced 246 questionnaires (previously reported). Follow-up unstructured interview were conducted with a sub-et of 19 employers who wished to further discuss the matter, the focus of this paper. Results showed that in spite of overall positive experiences with immigrant employees, when recruiting employers were influenced to a large extent by previous New Zealand work experience and to a slightly lesser extent by New Zealand qualifications. When practices of recruiting were discussed in the interviews, a complex web of reasoning on the part of employers emerged that had the end result of severely disadvantaging immigrant applicants, particularly those from non-English speaking countries, relative to New Zealander applicants The issues raised by employers that were used to the detriment of immigrant applicants included English language and communication, cultured fit and the manner in which immigrants approached companies for employment. Interview participants also commented on how immigrants could make themselves more employable, advice that paradoxically highlighted the Catch-22 situation many immigrant applicants find themselves in. Research is needed into the dimensions of disadvantage faced by immigrants, including the real differences and their impacts between local and immigrant applicants. Research is also needed into mangers’ and work teams’ acceptance and management of diversity in the workplace.