we need a streamlined refugee process
who are refugees?
Under United States (U.S.) law, a refugee is someone who is:
Located outside of the U.S.
Of special humanitarian concern to the U.S.
Demonstrates that they were persecuted or fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group
Not resettled in another country and
Admissible to the U.S.
While refugees can seek immediate employment once in the U.S., the process to get to the U.S. can take years.
How do refugees enter the U.S.?
Refugees can be received by the United States in two main ways. Through the “official process,” applicants must first register with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Through the “asylum” process, asylees are protected from being returned to
their home country and may be eligible for government programs. Whether through the “official” or “asylum” process, the path to refugee status can take two years or even longer.
Similar to how the U.S. welcomed Afghans in the past, President Biden recently introduced the “Uniting for Ukraine” program to streamline the refugee application process. However, to qualify for the program, an applicant must have a family sponsor, be vaccinated and pass a background check. U.S. individuals who wish to be a sponsor are required to declare their financial support for the refugee they hope to sponsor – a huge deterrent to the process.
ukraine crisis
Jobs crisis
As markets begin to stabilize and production levels are slowly rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, companies from around the world have yet another challenge to navigate: the ongoing labor shortage. In fact, studies show that there will be an estimated shortage of 85 million workers around the globe by 2030. 2 In the United States alone, there are nearly 11 million job vacancies, but only 6.5 million workers are listed as unemployed in 2022.
the solution
U.S. employers are facing record high inflation and a critical supply shortage while attempting to recover from a global pandemic. The U.S. government should create a streamlined process wherein approved refugees are paired with employers in need of workers. This will not only help those in need of protection but will fill much-needed vacancies in the job force and stimulate the economy.