Host/Institute: U.S. Department of State, International Rescue Committee, and Talent Beyond Boundaries
Critical Dates: April 2024 – Present
Link: Welcome Corps
Press Releases: Talent Beyond Boundaries
International Rescue Committee
US Department of State
Description from Host: The Welcome Corps is the most significant program innovation since the inception of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) 40 years ago. The Welcome Corps at Work matches U.S. employers with skilled refugees for dignified, decent jobs in critical industries such as healthcare, education, and information technology.
Implemented by the International Rescue Committee and Talent Beyond Boundaries, the Welcome Corps at Work facilitates the seamless integration of refugees into the U.S. workforce. 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 USRAP. 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. 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 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.
