Support Australian Pharmacy Students

Recently the Department of Immigration and Citizenship have added retail and hospital pharmacists to the Skilled Occupations List. This list determines what occupations are eligible for independent or unsponsored skilled migration. Therefore this will have consequences for Australian pharmacy students in regards to employment.

There is currently a surplus of pharmacy students. In Australia there are sixteen institutions that offer pharmacy degrees. In 2007 1,427 pharmacy students graduated from Australian universities, this number is expected for years to come.

The incorporation of pharmacists to the Skilled Occupations List can only have detrimental effects for the careers of Australian pharmacists. Pharmacists are trained health professionals that ensure the public are receiving quality healthcare. Training of students in Australia is more than adequate and therefore those competent students should be rewarded with worthwhile careers. The current circumstance in Australia involves employers who offer the absolute minimum wage. This is possible because of the high number of graduates. As a result, Australian pharmacy graduates who will become skilled health professionals are being paid less than those who work at fast food outlets. The lack of a union for pharmacists who are not employers also escalates this problem.

Each Australian student puts money back into the education system through paying HECS. Hence every overseas pharmacist who takes an Australian student’s job is not only taking our career but also money from our education system.

Australian pharmacy students should have the right to a successful career.