I don't think there's much discrimination in workplace here.

But of course, you have to understand that in workplace, you're there to work, not to receive language or cultural background training.

So if in a competition for payrise or promotion, you are pulled out because of communication issues, you can't really label it discrimination. Even if your other perfomance is as good as others, why they don't promote someone who's good at the job and also communicate well?

And ppl form groups. So if you don't fit in beause of cultural gap or personality crash, you don't fit in. You can't really call it discrimination. Ppl are more close to ppl with common interests or similar background, no matter which country you are in.

But I heard there's not enough doctors in Auz, so maybe it means it's easier to move up on the ladder.

As to whether you need to be a pemanent resident or citizen. In my industry normally you have to be a PR to get a job. But some industry is different. My hu*****and's office has a young guy from Euro, on business visa and speaks really bad English. But it's not so easy to recruit in his industry, so that guy happily works there.