Why Female Migrants Face a Bigger Unemployment Gap in Australia

The female migrants unemployment gap in Australia shows up in nearly every state and territory, except Tasmania and the Northern Territory. That’s a finding from the Australian Labour Market for Migrants report, published by Jobs and Skills Australia in April 2026.

It’s one of the clearest gaps in the entire report, and it holds almost everywhere in the country.

What the Female Migrants Unemployment Gap Looks Like

Across nearly every state, female migrants are unemployed at higher rates than male migrants. Tasmania and the NT are the only exceptions.

The report doesn’t break down every cause behind the gap, but it sits alongside other patterns in the same data: migration is concentrated in the biggest, most competitive job markets (NSW and Victoria had the highest Net Overseas Migration in 2024-25), and competition for roles is highest exactly where the gap tends to show up most.

Why a Gap Like This Usually Shows Up

Workforce research more broadly points to a few recurring factors behind gaps like this: caregiving responsibilities that reduce continuous local work history, smaller professional networks after arriving in a new country, and a harder time building the “local experience” that Australian recruiters look for early on.

None of these are about ability. They’re about access, and access is something you can build.

What Actually Helps Close the Female Migrants Unemployment Gap

A few things consistently make a difference for migrants building local experience and networks fast:

• Volunteering. Australian recruiters value it because it shows you’re actively engaged with the local workforce, and it’s often flexible around caregiving commitments
• Referrals. A large share of Australian jobs are filled through referrals before they’re ever advertised
• Targeted upskilling. A short, relevant course signals current engagement with the local industry, not just an overseas qualification
• Flexible or part-time roles as a bridge. A shorter-hours role in your field can build the local reference and recent-experience gap faster than waiting for the ideal full-time opening

DreamShift has a full guide on using internal referrals to get a job in Australia, even if you’re starting with no local network. If you want a broader list of ways to build your CV, the upskilling resources for migrants guide is a good next stop. DreamShift’s career support team also works with clients to build a plan around caregiving schedules and other constraints, rather than a one-size-fits-all timeline.

Why the Two Exceptions Matter

Tasmania and the Northern Territory are worth a closer look precisely because they buck the trend. Both are smaller job markets with less competition overall, and both have visa pathways built around regional and employer-sponsored routes rather than pure points competition. That combination may be part of why the female migrants unemployment gap doesn’t show up the same way there. It’s not proof of a single cause, but it’s a pattern worth factoring into where you choose to apply.

What This Means for Your Own Job Search

If you’re a female migrant weighing up where to focus your energy, this data is a reason to be deliberate rather than discouraged. Building two or three genuine local connections, adding one recent piece of local experience, and applying with a CV that reflects current Australian expectations all move the needle more than applying to more roles in the same way. The gap is real, but it isn’t fixed, and the states and strategies that buck the trend show it can close.

FAQ on the Female Migrants Unemployment Gap

Is this gap the same across all visa types?
The report looks at migrants broadly rather than breaking every result down by visa subclass, so the exact size of the gap likely varies depending on your visa and industry.

Which states have the smallest gap?
Tasmania and the Northern Territory are the only two where female migrants did not have higher unemployment than male migrants, according to the April 2026 report.

Sources: Australian Labour Market for Migrants, April 2026, Jobs and Skills Australia