WES Blog

In 2015, Nabaa Alobaidi resettled in Portland, Maine, having fled her home in Iraq as a refugee. With a master’s degree and experience practicing interior design and teaching at the university level, she hoped to continue her craft and her love of teaching. At a time when schools across the country are facing chronic teacher […]

Internships are one of the best ways international students can acquire work experience. If you are currently living in the United States or Canada and have completed at least one year of your university education, now may be the right time to begin developing your professional skill set and drafting your résumé. However, you might […]

The World Health Organization estimates that by 2030 there will be a shortage of 10 million health care workers worldwide. In Canada, the number of health care workers has already declined due to burnout and retirement. In 2022, Statistics Canada noted that there were nearly 140,000 job vacancies in the sector.  Whether you already live […]

Seeking 10-12 early-stage startups supporting immigrants, refugees, and communities of color disproportionately impacted by climate change   Village Capital, with support from the World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund, today launched an accelerator program for startups creating inclusive solutions for immigrants, refugees, and communities of color disproportionately impacted by climate change in the United […]

The WES Mariam Assefa Fund is excited to announce C$600,000 in grants to organizations working to support immigrants and refugees in Quebec. This new funding is supporting Au Coeur de l’Enfance and Solidarity Across Borders in their efforts to address the barriers that some of the most underserved newcomers face in Quebec. A grant is […]

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of World Education Services (WES). WES does not offer financial advice, and recommends that you conduct your own research and consult with a financial professional before making any final decisions related to […]

Last week, the IMPRINT Coalition submitted a set of policy recommendations to the White House Task Force on New Americans to support the workforce inclusion of internationally trained immigrants and refugees. The IMPRINT Coalition comprises 29 member organizations from across the U.S.—including service providers, advocates, and educational institutions—that are committed to increasing access to economic […]

Across the United States, workforce shortages are deepening. Essential sectors like health care and education have been particularly hard-hit, with critical staffing gaps affecting hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other key institutions across the country. At the same time, more than two million immigrants and refugees who have at least a bachelor’s degree are unemployed […]

Forced to flee Myanmar because of political persecution, Win Mar Lar Kyin eventually resettled in Oregon, leaving her family behind. Since then systemic barriers, including the lack of recognition of international credentials, have prevented Win from resuming her career as a primary care physician—despite having 12 years of experience practicing medicine in Myanmar. “With my […]

Canada is home to many top universities that offer high-quality education and cutting-edge research opportunities. Studying in Canada also provides international students with access to a wide range of courses and academic programs, along with a diverse and inclusive culture.  Like many universities around the world, Canadian universities saw declines in international student enrollment at […]

Synergy Texas is a network of adult education and literacy (AEL) providers working to address academic and employment barriers for internationally trained professionals in Texas. Brought together in 2019 through WES Global Talent Bridge’s Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP), Synergy Texas’ network includes community college educators and administrators, adult education providers, and other immigrant and […]

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires applicants who are pursuing Canadian immigration pathways, especially Express Entry, to submit an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).  You will be asked to submit your ECA report as part of your Express Entry profile. Per IRCC policy, your report must not be more than five years old when you […]

A confident woman with a radiant smile, Arlene Mora-Rausseo describes her journey from working as a surgeon in Venezuela to arriving in the United States as a refugee. Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Arlene credits her mother with helping her excel in school and college. In 1993, she graduated from medical school at the University of […]

Artemis Díaz established a successful career in communications and event production in the Dominican Republic but paused her work in 2014 to join her spouse in New York City. Since then, she has leveraged her exceptional networking skills – polished with support from organizations like WES Global Talent Bridge partner New Women New Yorkers – […]

The World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund today announced two new impact investments totaling US$750,000 in Blackstar Stability and the Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, both of which leverage homeownership as a tool to help Black and underserved communities build generational assets and bridge the racial wealth gap.   Homeownership is key to building […]

Newcomers — including immigrants, refugees, refugee claimants, international students, work permit holders, and undocumented persons — contribute significantly to Ontario’s economic, social, and cultural prosperity. The province hosts close to 50 percent of all newcomers to Canada. Newcomers bring work experience and skills, new perspectives, and ethnic and linguistic diversity. Despite barriers to entering the […]

The African Bridge Network (ABN), a non-profit in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts, area, seeks to create a supportive community that values the credentials and experiences of immigrants. ABN achieves its goal by supporting internationally trained workers through career coaching, networking opportunities, job placement, and more. In 2018, ABN participated in WES Global Talent Bridge’s Skilled […]

Communities across Canada are struggling to find the talent they need. With the labour force expected to be close to 100 percent dependent on immigration to fuel growth, the communities’ need for immigrant talent has never been greater. In response to the ongoing Canadian labour crisis, WES launched #ImmigrantsWork to work with community partners in […]

In 2012, Fatoumata Fofana left a successful health care career in her home country of Mali to join her husband Salifou in New York City. Fatoumata keenly recalls feeling overwhelmed when she arrived in the U.S., a feeling that would persist throughout her decade-long journey to rejoin the nursing profession. With support from WES Global […]

The WES Mariam Assefa Fund is excited to announce $230,000 in grants to seven New York-based organizations that support asylum seekers. The funding will enable these groups to strengthen their work on the ground responding to the significant increase in asylum seekers arriving in New York over the past year.  The recipients are Adama Bah, […]