For more than 25 years, I’ve been defending international students and their right to meaningful career opportunities. And yet, not much has changed. The stories of qualified international graduates – engineers, accountants, scientists – working in taxi or delivery gigs were familiar when I worked at CPA Australia in Melbourne. The stories followed me back to New Zealand, only now it’s Ubers instead of taxis.

These stories are not exaggerations. I have spoken to hundreds of international students-turned-drivers over the years. Behind each story lies recurring themes: mismatched expectations, disillusionment and systemic bias.

Despite the great potential for international graduates talked about when marketing our programs, the actual outcomes for international students tell a different story: there is an employability crisis that needs to be addressed.

‍

So, after all this time: Why aren’t we getting this right?

‍

🎓 Stakes are higher for international students trying to access opportunities

International students choose where and what to study based on many factors, but career outcomes are always top of mind. Like domestic students, they seek a return on investment – but the stakes are higher. They pay significantly more in tuition, face the emotional toll of being away from home, and must adapt quickly to new cultures, systems and expectations.

Yet, when it comes to accessing local, career-relevant work after graduation, the roadblocks are many. There’s a quiet but persistent undertone of prejudice. The practice of employers hiring international students to fill low-wage labour gaps is socially and politically acceptable, but the moment students compete for graduate roles, the resistance becomes palpable.

🏛️ Universities often underplay the issue

Universities have both a role and a responsibility to prepare students for life beyond the classroom. ‘Employability’ is often spoken about as a guiding principle, yet the follow-through is inconsistent at best.

Some institutions boldly weave ‘employability’ into their strategic plans, backed by proper resourcing. Others hide behind notions of academic purity, passing responsibility to underfunded careers teams – sometimes with just one adviser per several thousand students. One large research-intensive university I observed had a single careers officer dedicated to over 8,000 international students. This is not just unsustainable, it’s unethical.

⚖️ Students can feel let down and left behind 

Year after year, surveys like the International Student Barometer reveal that international students feel unprepared and unsupported when it comes to employment. At the same time, employers continue to voice concerns about graduates’ readiness for the ‘real world’.

With tuition costs rising and AI threatening traditional graduate roles, students are becoming more selective. If higher education doesn't deliver real-world value, its relevance and student demand,             will erode.

‍

What’s needed is a mindset shift

Employability must be more than an afterthought. It must be central to a university’s mission in order to fulfil its promise to students. This means:

• embedding employability across teaching and research
• elevating employability to a strategic priority, led by senior leadership
• aligning investments with long-term student employability outcomes.


There also needs to be a shared, sector-wide understanding of ‘employability’. It’s not just about jobs; it’s about the capacity to use one’s skills, knowledge and experiences to add value across multiple life domains: careers, communities and civic life.

To shift from rhetoric to real and positive change, we need to start by confronting the myths that sustain the status quo.

‍

Busting the myths about employability

‍

Myth 1: Employability means employment

“We measure employability by how many graduates get jobs.”

Reality: Employability is the development of capabilities that happens within and outside of formal study.  

✅ Tip: Start by agreeing on a universal definition of ‘employability’. Educate academic and professional staff, and students on its broader meaning and scope.  Develop an employability guide that provides clear explanations and practical examples.

Myth 2: Employers are not interested in international students

“It’s too hard to employ international students, and besides, they might not fit in.”

Reality: Employers need to be informed and educated about the conditions under which they can hire international students (for placements or graduate positions).

✅ Tip: Many employers lack the information they need to make informed decisions. Make it easy for employers and industry bodies to access the information they need to consider international students for employment or placement opportunities.

Myth 3: Employability = Internships (which can’t be scaled)

“We can’t give everyone an internship, so why bother?”

Reality: Internships are just one form of work-integrated learning. Other industry-related WIL can be designed into the curriculum.

✅ Tip: Use tech-enabled platforms and partners to offer virtual and project-based WIL experiences at scale.  This can open up opportunities for experiences outside local borders and provide greater accessibility for more students.

Myth 4: Employability is vocational, not academic

“That’s what TAFEs and polytechs are for.”

Reality: Employability is important to all students, including students with an academic or research career plan.  

✅ Tip: Shift the narrative within the institution. Embedding graduate employment outcomes directly into program design will reinforce program relevance, value and sustainability.

Myth 5: Students choose study based on reputation alone

“As long as we’re ranked well, they’ll come.”

Reality: Data consistently shows that career outcomes are among the top five drivers of international student decision-making. Don’t underestimate this.

✅ Tip: Include clear messaging and evidence points on the employability proposition when marketing to international future students.

Myth 6: Employability is a level playing field

“If students work hard, they’ll succeed.”

Reality: International and first-in-family students often lack local networks and need assistance to level the playing field. 

✅ Tip: Proactively build inclusive employability strategies such as alumni mentoring, employer engagement, and culturally competent careers support that create access, not just advice.

‍

It’s time to deliver on the promise

Universities shape not just scholars, but citizens – contributors to society, knowledge and economies worldwide. International students should not be viewed as revenue streams; they’re future leaders, innovators and ambassadors.

Let’s stop selling them short. 

Let’s finally make employability a shared priority and deliver on promises made.

‍

Get in touch

Edified can help you improve your employability strategies and effectively articulate where you can boost students’ employability prospects, backed by evidence of graduate success.

Get in touch to discuss your needs and challenges with us.

Hayley Shields

Partner

hayley@edified.com.au