Promotion in the Australian Public Service: Improvements for women and stagnation for cultural and linguistic minorities

We investigate whether being female, from a non-English speaking background (NESB) or having
a disability affects career advancement in the Australian Public Service. Over the past twenty years,
women have become more likely to get promoted at senior ranks than similar men and just as likely
at junior ranks. Disability lowers promotion prospects at most ranks. NESB staff have much lower
promotion prospects at higher ranks despite being less likely to separate from the public service.
These lower promotion prospects for NESB staff are only partially explained by language
proficiency or cultural assimilation. The unexplained remainder could reflect a penalty for being nonwhite.