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Studying in Australia to work there? What a government study says about graduate jobs, for Ugandan families

News · 2026-10-07 · 4 min read

For many families in Kampala and Entebbe, paying for study in Australia is a big decision that rests on one hope: a good qualification, then a good job. A federal government report suggests the second half is harder than many expect. Reading it before you pay any course fees can save a lot of disappointment.

What was studied

The International Students Pathways and Outcomes Study from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in September 2025, followed students who began in 2010–11 and tracked outcomes to the end of 2023. Policy settings were examined only up to the end of 2023, which is before the changes introduced under the federal government's Migration Strategy.

Step one: staying on

About 35 to 40 per cent of international students who began in the early 2010s gained permanent residency within 10 years. Among higher education and vocational graduates who could be identified in linked tax and employment data, more than half did.

Step two: the kind of job

Staying did not always lead to skilled work. More than half of international graduates with qualifications matching the highest occupational skill level were in lower-skilled jobs, against about 20 to 30 per cent of domestic graduates. International graduates who stayed were less likely to work in their field, with higher education graduates faring worse than vocational education and training (VET) graduates, and on average they earned less than domestic graduates with the same qualifications.

Step three: the barriers named

• English-language proficiency
• Limited practical Australian work experience
• Employer uncertainty about temporary visas
• Difficulty having overseas experience recognised
• Bias in recruitment
• Some employers seeing international graduates as less job-ready

Step four: what Ugandan students can do

You cannot change how every employer thinks, but several of these barriers can be reduced.

1. Prepare for English tests early. PractiseNow has practice material for IELTS and PTE style tests.
2. Pick courses with placements or work-integrated learning, and seek part-time work in your field.
3. Prepare proof of your Ugandan background: UNEB results, Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) certificates, transcripts and employer letters. A local qualification never automatically equals an Australian licence, skills assessment or registration.
4. Ask about an Interpol police clearance if a visa or employer may require one.
5. Use only advisers you can verify: a MARA registration for Australia, or a licensed immigration adviser or lawfully exempt person for New Zealand.

Common mistakes Ugandan families make

The most expensive mistake is to treat permanent residency as proof of a skilled career. The study shows the two are not the same. Another is to ignore the role of English in interviews. A third is to rely on a single success story from a relative while the overall figures look different. A fourth is to choose the most expensive course because it sounds prestigious. For different angles, see why universities warn about turning students away and why skilled tradespeople are a migration fast track.

Why governments care

International education contributed more than $50 billion to the Australian economy in 2023–24. International students are increasingly seen as a possible source of skilled workers in areas with shortages, and the report says poor transitions into skilled jobs limit that potential and that improving outcomes is critical.

The debate is also political. A minor-party senator wants the intake cut sharply. The federal Education Minister defended the system, said most international students return home, and argued it makes sense to keep some graduates in needed occupations, for example doctors and nurses working in hospitals for a period. The minister rejected the word farce while acknowledging that some dodgy providers tried to exploit the system. The national planning level is 295,000 commencements for 2026, and the government says it will keep that in 2027. The Education Department says commencements this year are down 8 per cent on the same period in 2025 and 13 per cent below 2019 levels.

Questions Ugandan readers ask

What is the main finding?

More than half of international graduates working in Australia are employed below their skill level.

Does it mean I should not study in Australia?

No. It means plan for employment, not just the course.

What are the better paths?

The study does not rank courses, but it notes VET graduates were more likely than higher education graduates to find work in their field.

Where can I see current job listings?

See the jobs page. For another comparison, read the graduate visa boom and families.

Main points to remember

• Over half of top-qualified international graduates worked in lower-skilled roles.
• Domestic graduates were affected at about 20 to 30 per cent.
• Six barriers are named, from English to recruitment bias.
• Plan the job, not only the degree.

#australian graduates #skilled work #study abroad #uganda #permanent residency #jobs study