United States launches Welcome Corps at Work to connect US employers with skilled refugee employees

By Amos Oladele

The US Department of State has announced the launch of the Welcome Corps at Work, a groundbreaking pilot initiative within the overarching Welcome Corps refugee private sponsorship program.

In a release shared by the Department, it affirmed that the Welcome Corps is “the most significant program innovation since the inception of the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) 40 years ago”.

It explained that the Welcome Corps at Work matches US employers with skilled refugees for dignified, decent jobs in critical industries such as healthcare, education, and information technology.

According to the Department, the Welcome Corps at Work would be implemented by the International Rescue Committee and Talent Beyond Boundaries; adding that the Welcome Corps at Work facilitates the seamless integration of refugees into the US workforce.

In its words, “Through this pilot program, hundreds of refugees over the next few years will receive job offers from participating vetted employers that uphold internationally recognized worker rights before their arrival in the United States through the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)”; adding, “The refugees’ legal status in the United States is not tied to employment; instead, individuals arrive with refugee status and are on a direct path toward gaining citizenship”; and that “Upon arrival, they will receive support from private sponsors from the local communities of their employers, ensuring a smooth transition and fostering their integration into society”

The Department disclosed that nearly 3.5 million refugees have resettled in the United States over the 40-year history of the USRAP, making tremendous social and economic contributions that drive America’s competitiveness and innovation on the global stage.

It quoted a recent Department of Health and Human Services study which states that “refugees contributed almost $124 billion to the growth of the U.S. economy from 2005-2019”.

The pilot Welcome Corps at Work program underscores the contributions of refugees to local communities across the United States, as well as the value of public and private sector engagement.  Welcome Corps at Work builds on the foundation of the overarching Welcome Corps program, which empowers private sponsors to resettle refugees in their communities.  It also complements the Welcome Corps on Campus program, which creates new opportunities for higher education institutions to sponsor refugee students.  All of these initiatives advance the broad vision of the Welcome Corps, to strengthen and expand the country’s capacity to resettle refugees by engaging Americans from all walks of life, as well as companies, and business and worker organizations.

Like all refugees who arrive in the United States, those admitted through the Welcome Corps undergo among the most rigorous security screening and vetting protocols of any entrant to the United States.  Access to the USRAP and support from the Welcome Corps is free for refugees.  Refugees should not pay anyone for their case to be referred to the U.S. government or to be matched with private sponsors.

For more information about the Welcome Corps at Work and how to get involved, visit the Welcome Corps website (https://welcomecorps.org) or contact Work@WelcomeCorps.org.