Meaningful work and social connections key to migrants’ belonging in Australia, study finds

A new report has explored what shapes the sense of belonging among Australia’s fastest-growing migrant communities, including people with ties to China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Iraq and the Philippines. Commissioned by the Department of Home Affairs and conducted by researchers at the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute, the study found that community connections are the strongest drivers of migrants’ sense of belonging in Australia. Participants identified the biggest settlement challenges as securing meaningful employment, followed by feelings of isolation or cultural difference, learning English, managing living costs and finding culturally appropriate food.