Welcome refugee talent to your community
The Welcome Corps enables U.S. employers to recruit from a diverse, qualified pool of refugee candidates abroad. As an employer participant in Welcome Corps at Work, you will be able to review resumes from our pool of refugee candidates abroad, interview candidates, and offer employment to the refugee candidates directly. Welcome Corps at Work then helps those refugees navigate the process of being considered for resettlement in the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), the legal pathway through which the U.S. government admits refugees determined to be in need of permanent resettlement in the United States. Refugees who are resettled in the United States are eligible for permanent residence and U.S. citizenship.
The Welcome Corps at Work is a first-of-its-kind program linking employment opportunities to resettlement through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), the legal pathway through which the U.S. government admits refugees for permanent resettlement in the United States. Through this program, Welcome Corps at Work matches a diverse, qualified pool of refugee candidates with U.S. employers. Our team of resettlement and employment professionals supports refugees throughout the interview process. Once an employer makes a job offer, the Welcome Corps at Work team helps the refugee evaluate the offer and initiate the resettlement process to be considered for admission to the United States, where a local private sponsor group will provide resettlement and integration support.
At a glance:
• 12 employers signed up across 9 states: Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Dakota, New York, Idaho, Iowa, Vermont, Michigan, Nevada
• 23 job offers extended
• 6,683 skilled refugees registered in the East Africa Talent Pool
Please note: Welcome Corps at Work integrates employers and candidates on a rolling basis. These numbers are updated quarterly
Resettlement is a process that can take months or even years from the time you extend a job offer until the refugee employee arrives in the United States. Please note there is no guarantee that refugee candidates will be approved through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
Access to the USRAP is completely free for refugees and there are no associated recruitment or visa sponsorship fees.
How it works for sponsors
Although refugees arriving through the Welcome Corps at Work already have a job secured, local sponsors provide additional practical support and mentorship for 90 days after the refugees arrive in the United States. Sponsors play a critical role in assisting refugee employees and their families to integrate into the local community. Learn more about the services sponsors provide.
Email us work@welcomecorps.org if you would like to form a sponsor group to support newly arriving refugee employees and their families in your area. Here’s what to expect from the application process:
We support you along the way
The Welcome Corps at Work team offers ongoing support for refugees, employees, and sponsors throughout the process, including training and resources. We help prepare sponsor groups to find housing, fundraise, and connect with community services.
The Welcome Corps at Work is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by International Rescue Committee and Talent Beyond Boundaries with funding provided by the U.S. government.