In May of 2022, the number of people forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights violations, and persecution surpassed 100 million for the first time. Approximately 40% of these individuals are refugees. Data from the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) shows that in 2020 around half of refugees worldwide were under the age […]
On July 14, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement retracted guidance that would have required international students in the U.S. to attend in-person classes or face deportation. Despite the federal government’s decision to withdraw the policy, international students outside the U.S. remain unable to obtain visas if their school […]
Metalsmith Oleksii Porokh and his wife Anna Nefodova Riverside Language Program, the only free, full-time English language intensive course in New York City, is currently celebrating its 40th year of operation under the new leadership of Berta Colón. Riverside’s free six-week English courses are offered in a variety of levels, held six hours a […]
In 2016, WES tackled a compounding issue: Syrian refugees were arriving in Canada by the thousands with high levels of education but struggling to return to work and school because they had little to no proof of their prior academic achievements. To address this challenge, WES launched the refugee pilot project to test the value […]
In June WES Global Talent Bridge, its national partners, and the community cohorts in the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) participated in a working cross-border conference in Toronto. The delegates exchanged experiences and learned from each other and Canadian models, including mentorship programs, employer engagement, round table collaboration, and microlending. Canadian participating partners included: Cities […]
The 2019 Skilled Immigrant Integration Project convening in Toronto. Photos by Anthony Castro At a three-day conference in Toronto earlier this month, WES Global Talent Bridge and its national partners hosted representatives from all of the eight 2019 community cohorts in the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program, as well as representatives from some of the […]
Less than six months after she graduated from New Women New Yorkers’ LEAD training series, Jiar Fong received a job offer. New Women New Yorkers has been serving immigrant women in New York City since 2015. LEAD, our flagship, free workforce development program, begins with a series of eight job readiness workshops, providing our […]
Members of the Texas cohort of the 2019 Skilled Immigrant Integration Program met recently with representatives from WES Global Talent Bridge to discuss plans for the year. Nearly five million immigrants live in Texas. That’s about 17 percent of the state’s population. Twelve percent of these newcomers are internationally trained professionals. Texas provides additional […]
Fanshawe College in London, Ontario is one of Ontario’s largest colleges. The college provides “flexible learning arrangements and experiential education opportunities” to ensure students are prepared for an ever-shifting labour market. In 2015, as Syrian refugees began arriving in Canada, Fanshawe saw a similar influx in their admission offices: “each of our admissions advisors was […]
WES Global Talent Bridge congratulates the 17 communities awarded funding from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to implement the Refugee Career Pathways program. Four of the recipients – organizations from Denver, Santa Clara, St. Louis, and Boise/Salt Lake City – have partnered closely with Global Talent Bridge in 2018 through their participation in its […]
Photo: Emily Griffith Technical College representatives at Toronto Convening. Pictured L-R: Barbara Lindsay, director of Workforce Development and Career Services; Tiffany Jaramillo, career navigator; and Heather Colwell, student navigator. Photo by Anthony Castro. Q&A With the Denver Skilled Immigrant Integration Team How has the Denver team progressed since the start of the program? Emily Griffith […]
Photo: The 2018 conference of the WC2 University Network at Ryerson University. Photo by Aurore Hochard. There is a felt shift in the public discourse on immigration across North America as ‘irregular migration’ joins our common lexicon and immigration increasingly becomes a topic of debate. The Honourable Ratna Omidvar, C.M., O.Ont., independent senator for […]
