Discrimination is high for people with accents/ESL, people with asylum and refugee background, non-western communities, anti-Semitism – representation for people who are not western. — consultation with multicultural peak body, NARF project, May 2021 – April 2022 People seeking asylum face many of the same barriers that people from migrant and refugee backgrounds face, but with the further complexity of a temporary visa and uncertain future. There are significant backlogs in the decision-making process for people who seek protection in Australia, with people facing an average of 8 years for a decision on their asylum applications. Following entry, economic and social challenges and inequalities persist for migrants and refugees. For example, racism can play out in educational settings, where migrants and refugees have reported facing outright racial abuse, as well as assumptions about their education or intelligence.16 This can be particularly difficult for refugees who may have endured the trauma and effects of forced displacement, war, violence and family separation, which compound their limited educational options and lack of financial support. 17 Culturally and linguistically diverse migrants and refugees from non-English speaking backgrounds,18 especially migrant and refugee women, are also often excluded from full economic participation.19 Such economic disadvantage contributes to feelings of powerlessness and vulnerability, and many migrant and refugee women who are survivors of domestic and/or family violence20 feel trapped in their economic dependency, especially if their migration status is precarious and/or dependent on the perpetrator of violence.21 There is also a well-evidenced ‘refugee gap’ in labour market participation that cannot be explained by either skills, qualifications or English language differences and has been attributed in research to systemic factors including racism and discrimination. 22 These existing inequalities and forms of disadvantage have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A Good Shepherd Australia and New Zealand study found that while 41% of all working Australians reported experiencing negative employment impacts such as reduced working hours, these impacts have affected the workforce unevenly, creating a cohort of what they describe as ‘the new vulnerable’, which includes recently arrived migrants. 23 Migrants and refugees have also experienced poor wellbeing and mental health as compared to the general Australian population.24 Overall, the pandemic also saw an alarming increase in experiences and intensity of racism and discrimination, including the use of sexually explicit and abusive language towards migrant and refugee women.25 Consultations and submissions also noted the difficulty encountered by migrants and refugees in accessing supports and services that are responsive to their needs, and deliver them equitable outcomes. These include supports provided by the government such as income support or healthcare, as well as supports provided by social service providers to address the immediate needs of migrants and refugees and assist them in navigating Australia, such as English classes, job training, and social and community activities to maintain cultural connections. 26 Most newly arrived migrants do not have immediate access to income support payments when they first enter Australia – instead, they must wait long periods of time, which can stretch to multiple years, to access some of these supports.27 The Commission also heard about how there is little awareness of how the clock for calculating these waiting periods restarts if migrants travel overseas for a period longer than what is permitted. National Anti-Racism Framework Scoping Report 2022 | 64