Public Policy
Good public policy is the bedrock of thriving and resilient communities. In both Canada and the United States, WES works with countless partners to develop and advocate policies that enable immigrants, refugees, and international students to contribute fully to the communities where they live.
Learn more about our policy work and recommendations below.
Ideas & Impact
To help create such change, we partner with organizations, institutions, networks, and governments on programs, policy, advocacy, research, and grantmaking to benefit immigrants, refugees, international students, and the communities they join.
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How State and Local Efforts Are Leading the Way on Data Collection to Better Serve Immigrants and Refugees
Sharif Krabti |
In April 2024, the United States Department of Labor released the Bridging the Gap for New Americans Final Report, which analyzes barriers to economic inclusion as well as strategies for overcoming them. In its analysis of currently available resources, the report highlights the need for additional data on internationally trained immigrant and refugee job seekers. […]
How a New York Bill Would Allow Internationally Trained Physicians to Practice
Ngoc Nguyen |
In 2009, Dr. Islam moved to New York City from Bangladesh. Straightaway, he was struck by the lack of opportunities to work in medicine or in a health care role that made use of his skills and experience. Despite graduating from one of the top medical schools in Bangladesh and working there as a physician, he became […]
Will Just-in-Time Immigration Policy Changes Meet Canada’s Needs?
Guliz Akkaymak |
In 2022, the job vacancy rate surged to a new record – one million jobs went unfilled. Meanwhile our population continues to age, and the workforce is shrinking. Labour and skills shortages are growing more acute in every sector. Policymakers are looking to increase immigration intake levels alongside streamlined measures to get more newcomers into […]
COVID-19 Response: An Update on Addressing the Underutilized Skills of Canada’s Internationally Educated Health Professionals
While the pandemic is highlighting challenges in Canada’s health and long-term care (LTC) systems, it is also shining a light on the thousands of internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs) who are licensed to practice in other countries but are unable to fully contribute their skills, education, and experience in Canada. Since last spring, WES has been working with many partners to raise awareness of the deep disconnect between the underutilization of IEHP talent and the needs of Canada’s health and LTC systems. WES has been convening with IEHPs and system stakeholders to develop and advocate for structural and policy changes that can create more access for immigrants and […]