New data reveals entrenched pay gaps for women from migrant and First Nations backgrounds

A new dashboard released by Jobs and Skills Australia highlights how intersecting factors such as gender, cultural background and migration status continue to influence pay outcomes, with significant implications for the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce.

The Intersectional Gender Pay Gap Dashboard, part of the broader Gender and Economic Equality Study, reveals that while gender-based pay gaps persist across all industries, they are significantly worse for women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and migrant women.

In some cases, the data shows pay gaps of up to 17 per cent within the same occupational group, a disparity that compounds over time. Over a 10-year period, these gaps can result in women from marginalised backgrounds earning tens of thousands of dollars less than their male or non-CALD peers.

The ECEC sector, which is 97 per cent female and increasingly culturally diverse, is not exempt. Many educators are migrants or come from CALD communities, and First Nations educators often face additional systemic barriers.

While the sector continues to advocate for workforce reforms,  including pay equity, professional recognition and improved career pathways, these new findings underscore the need for reform that is both gender-just and intersectional.

The release of this data arrives at a critical time. As the Commonwealth Government prepares for workforce reform under the National Children’s Education and Care Workforce Strategy, and as Fair Work Commission processes around equal remuneration continue, this dashboard offers a powerful evidence base for urgent change.

Experts argue that addressing intersectional pay gaps will require more than universal wage increases. It demands targeted investment in culturally safe leadership, trauma-informed support, qualification access, and pay equity initiatives designed in partnership with First Nations and migrant communities.

The findings are a timely reminder that gender equality policies must consider the lived realities of all women, not only in terms of gender, but race, migration, and socio-economic background.

For a sector built on relationships, care and inclusion, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity: to lead with integrity, and to ensure all educators are supported and valued in ways that reflect the true diversity of the workforce.

To explore the full dashboard, visit: Jobs and Skills Australia – Intersectional Gender Pay Gaps