Hear from Rosie Pham in this short video and then read her story below:
Rosie Pham is hoping to make a new start in her home country of Vietnam after not being able to find work in her field. Photo: Hoai Nam Nguyen
Standing behind the counter of a busy café in Melbourne’s CBD, Rosie Pham smiles politely at customers while silently counting the days until her return flight to Vietnam.
It’s not the farewell she had imagined when she first arrived in Australia four years ago.
“I came here to study Business at RMIT,” Rosie, 22, says. “Many friends warned me, it (Business) is not on the skilled migration list. But I didn’t want to do nursing or IT just (to qualify) for PR (permanent residency).”
She describes her journey in Australia: studying, part-time work, and an internship at a small marketing agency. Rosie graduated with a distinction degree and was granted a 485 post-study work visa. She was hopeful, and ready.
But life hit harder than she expected. “I applied for over 100 jobs after graduating. Most didn’t even respond. The few interviews I got ended with: ‘Sorry, we prefer local experience’.”
She has been working in the hospitality industry for the past six months while looking for jobs in her field. “I feel like I’ve done everything right, studied hard, worked, and gained experience. But maybe, it’s still not enough,” Rosie said.
Rose’s story reflects that of many international graduates whose dreams clash with immigration policies and competitive job markets. According to the 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey, only 11.7% of international undergraduates found full-time work within four to six months of finishing their degree, highlighting the significant challenges that international graduates face when entering the Australian labour market.
“I still love Australia. It’s taught me so much,” Rosie says. “But I don’t want to spend years doing something I’m not passionate about.”
Next month, she’ll return to Ho Chi Minh City, where she hopes to finally land a financial accountant role. “I’m nervous about starting over in Vietnam,” she says. “But I don’t think it’s ever too late. You fall, you get back up. I’ve never regretted coming to Australia, it gave me amazing experiences and helped me grow. I didn’t come here just to stay permanently. I came to learn.”
