As we reported in the February 16^th edition of Care Connection, Welcome Corps At Work is a national program that matches employers in the U.S. with skilled refugees in need of resettlement.  The Program enables refugees and their immediate families to permanently relocate in the U.S. thereby minimizing the steps in the legal immigration process.  Welcome Corps At Work is jointly administered by the U.S. State Department, International Rescue Committee and Talent Beyond Boundaries.  These agencies coordinate their efforts with the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.  In determining whether to explore participating in Welcome Corps At Work, here are several important points to consider:

• There is no cost to the employer other than the compensation the candidate will receive if hired;
• The focus is on jobs for which there is always a need (“Evergreen jobs”) and that pay a livable wage.  As such, many of the positions in our nursing homes and assisted living centers would meet this threshold qualification;
• A candidate can be hired for one position within the facility and then move to other positions.  For example, the candidate can initially be hired as a housekeeper or dietary aide and then be trained/certified as a nurse aide.  The facility would then be able to claim training and certification reimbursement under our WisCaregiver Careers program;
• The placement process from the beginning until the refugee is settled in the community and begins works takes between 12-24 months.  Program organizers recognize that this timeframe presents a practical planning problem for employers and as such, is endeavoring to bring the timeframe down to as close to 12 months as possible;
• The Program’s focus is bringing into the United States refugees from East African nations.  Of the several thousand qualified candidates, approximately 560 have health care backgrounds particularly as RN’s and Nurse Aides;
• In addition to being matched with an employer, the refugee will also be matched with a Private Community Sponsor.  While an employer can step forward to be the sponsor as well as the employer, it is not required.  Program organizers are responsible for finding each candidate a community sponsor, not the employer;
• The Program’s experience thus far is that placing several refugees with a qualified employer has been most successful as it has been a much easier cultural adjustment for each refugee candidate as the person has fellow countrywomen/men with whom to share the experience.

Staff recently attended a very informative webinar.  Here is the link to the webinar power point presentation: https://rescue.box.com/s/bka8lvjtaifd4lt874guly0w2m45ju5f . You can contact Ms. Amber Shevin, Senior Technical Advisor, Economic Empowerment at the International Rescue Committee if you would like to learn more at this program, amber.shevin@rescue.org.