Report - Improving Participation of Refugees in Virginia's Workforce (2021)
Summary
The 2021 Report, Improving Participation of Refugees in Virginia's Workforce, required by Chapter 552, 2021 Acts of Assembly and submitted by Megan Healy, Secretary of Labor. The executive summary says the Act directs the Secretary of Labor to convene a work group to identify barriers that recent refugees face to entering the workforce. It says the work group met three times, all virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that a public comment survey was also conducted. The listed goals include partnering with employers on expedited pathways to employment and developing career and licensing pathway maps. The recommendations include competency-based education programs and a program like Military Medics and Corpsmen (MMAC) for refugees with healthcare backgrounds.
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“Report - Improving Participation of Refugees in Virginia's Workforce (2021).”
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Improving Participation of Refugees in
Virginia’s Workforce
2021 Report as required by Chapter 552, 2021 Acts of Assembly
Submitted by Dr. Megan Healy, Secretary of Labor
2
Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary 3
II. Background 4
III. General Policy Considerations 6
Overview of Appendices 11
Appendix A: Workgroup Members & Contributors 12
Appendix B: Workgroup Presentations 13
Appendix C: Results of Public Comment Survey 32
3
I. Executive Summary
Chapter 552, 2021 Acts of Assembly directs the Secretary of Labor to convene a work group to
identify barriers that recent refugees in Virginia face to entering the workforce; assess
participation in adult education and workforce training programs; compare, to the extent
practicable, the current employment of recent refugees to that of their employment, including
any occupational and professional credentials and academic degrees earned, prior to resettling in
the United States; and identify the top occupations that recent refugees seek to work in Virginia
and make recommendations for addressing any barriers that prevent them from using their work
experience gained outside of the United States to obtaining employment in these occupations in
Virginia.
Work group members consisted of representatives from the Departments of Education, Social
Services, Professional and Occupational Regulation, Health Professions; the Health
Workforce Development Authority; Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Virginia
Community College System; Commonwealth Catholic Charities, Catholic Charities;
Migration and Refugee Services; International Rescue Committee; Church World Services;
Lutheran Social Services; Ethiopian Development Council; NoVA Friends of Refugees;
ReEstablish Richmond; local one-stop career centers that have experience serving refugees;
and multiple national nonprofit organizations.
The work group met three times, and all work group meetings were conducted virtually due to
the COVID-19 pandemic. A public comment survey was also conducted to develop general
considerations to better serve refugees. The resulting considerations are as follows:
Goal 1: Engage all local, state and national partners, nonprofit organizations, ethnic
communities, and government agencies who support refugees to increase communication and
services around employment.
Goal 2: Partner with employers to develop expedited pathways to employment for refugees.
Goal 3: Collaborate with agencies and nonprofits to support the success of refugees on the job or
in training with childcare, housing, transportation, and other support services.
Goal 4: Develop career and licensing pathway maps for refugees where previous work and
educational experiences can be leveraged.
Goal 5: Strengthen the alignment and relationships between higher educational institutions and
the refugee population in Virginia.
4
Goal 6: Identify partners, non-profit organizations, and agencies with access to data on
employment of refugees and utilize data to improve services available to refugees.
5
II. Background
Virginia's Refugee Resettlement Program supports refugees with social integration and economic
empowerment. Support services available to refugee-eligible clients include employment, health,
education, youth mentoring, services for older refugees, and foster care for unaccompanied
refugee minors through the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Foster Care (URM) program . VDSS
works in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and federally
contracted agencies to administer the URM program.
Employment services and language training have been the primary focus of the Virginia Refugee
Resettlement Program since it was established. These services are at the core of service delivery
to all adult clients including those who receive cash assistance. For those receiving cash
assistance, registration and participation in employment programs is a requirement for receipt of
both Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
For RCA, registration with the Virginia Refugee Social Services Employment Program (RSSEP)
is required. For TANF, completion of an Agreement of Personal Responsibility to participate in
the Virginia Initiative for Education and Work (VIEW) Program, which is a TANF requirement.
Virginia’s refugee employment program is called the Refugee Social Services Employment
Program (RSSEP). RSSEP services assist participants in obtaining employment, remaining
employed, and increasing their employment income.
Refugee services are currently provided by six resettlement agencies across the state which
include:
● Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington - Migration and Refugee Services
● Church World Service
● Commonwealth Catholic Charities
● Ethiopian Community Development Council
● International Rescue Committee (Charlottesville)
● International Rescue Committee (Richmond)
● Lutheran Social Services
Each resettlement contract can be found at
https://www.dss.virginia.gov/community/ona/refugee_services/resettlement_contracts.cgi.
The following data tables break down the enrollment in services by regional settlement agency
and by native country. This includes 2021 data for the federal fiscal year that ended September
30, 2021 and projected refugee arrivals for 2022.
6
Table 1: Historical Enrollment of Refugees by Native Country (as of July 6, 2021)
Virginia Entry Federal Fiscal Year (FFY; Oct 1-Sept 30 FFY)
Sum of Count FFY
Grand
Country 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
Afghanistan 1683 2826 1189 1182 1252 428 8560
Other 32 23 10 12 19 1 97
Bhutan 98 51 35 1 185
Burundi 10 5 1 1 17
Cameroon 1 2 1 6 3 1 14
Colombia 27 5 2 6 40
Cuba 105 183 28 1 2 319
Democratic Republic of
Congo 323 138 236 327 69 101 1194
Egypt 10 18 5 1 1 35
El Salvador 37 150 83 43 44 11 368
Eritrea 63 60 31 54 18 3 229
Ethiopia 72 90 38 14 9 4 227
Guatemala 4 5 4 11 12 2 38
Haiti 5 9 1 15
Honduras 6 17 14 21 11 3 72
Iran 78 81 9 5 10 183
Iraq 434 302 37 15 22 13 823
Jordan 2 12 14
Kenya 15 20 1 36
Lebanon 13 13
Myanmar 26 9 9 11 4 4 63
Nepal 26 8 8 1 43
Pakistan 57 42 29 30 2 16 176
Russia 11 11 4 26
Rwanda 16 8 2 7 33
Somalia 30 21 2 53
Grand Total 3184 4091 1782 1749 1467 600 12873
7
Table 2: Historical Enrollment of Refugees by Refugee Resettlement Agency
(as of July 6, 2021)
Virginia Entry Federal Fiscal Year (FFY; Oct 1-Sept 30 FFY)
Sum of Count FFY
Grand
Resettlement Agency 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
CCC Newport News 289 294 93 82 64 21 843
CCC Richmond 178 225 73 91 114 47 728
CCC Roanoke 238 187 110 114 56 31 736
CWS Richmond 204 241 101 17 563
ECDC Northern VA 4 283 104 115 145 62 713
IRC Charlottesville 259 216 165 198 109 44 991
IRC Richmond 68 158 132 172 106 47 683
LSS Northern VA 786 1020 379 400 295 118 2998
MRS Arlington 677 898 367 326 362 118 2748
MRS Fredericksburg 159 209 132 160 170 64 894
CWS Harrisonburg 322 360 126 74 46 48 976
Grand Total 3184 4091 1782 1749 1467 600 12873
Table 3: Updated FY2021 Enrollment by Refugee Resettlement Agency
Agency Enrollment
000-Local DSS Intake Only 33
IRC Charlottesville 132
IRC Richmond 94
CCC Hampton 64
CCC Richmond 85
CCC Roanoke 99
LSS Northern VA 513
CWS Harrisonburg 114
ECDC Northern VA 183
MRS Arlington 316
MRC Fredericksburg 150
Total 1783
8
Table 4: FY2022 Estimated Refugee Arrivals
Refugee Special
Total Proposed
Refugee Individuals Individuals Immigrant
for FY
with U.S. Ties without U.S. Visa Holder
2022 (Individuals)
Ties Individuals
Agency City
ECDC Arlington 180 20 300 500
IRC Charlottesville 165 75 35 275
LIRS Dale City 0 0 300 300
LIRS Fairfax 100 50 500 650
CWS Harrisonburg 115 115 15 245
USCCB Manassas 170 30 400 600
USCCB Newport News 130 70 70 270
IRC Richmond 155 75 70 300
USCCB Richmond 100 70 100 270
USCCB Roanoke 150 70 40 260
CWS* Winchester 20 80 0 100
*New proposed affiliate 1285 655 1830 3770
Total Proposed for
FY 2022
Agency City
(Unaccompanied
Refugee Minors)
LIRS* Fairfax 5
USCCB Richmond 12
USCCB Roanoke 0
*New proposed affiliate
9
III. General Policy Considerations
After convening the Workgroup and performing research on other states and national nonprofits,
the following six goals should be considered by policymakers.
Goal 1: Engage all local, state and national partners, nonprofit organizations, ethnic
communities, and government agencies who support refugees to increase communication
and services around employment.
Strategy 1 Build a Blueprint: When convening the Workgroup, the resettlement agencies were
very familiar with each other and the individual responsibilities given to them through state
agency contracts. The organizations do an amazing job working on the front lines directly with
refugees. Many state leaders who oversee supportive services that can aid refugees were not as
familiar with these excellent services. A blueprint needs to be developed of all the agencies and
support services that already exist which will help identify any gaps to be filled by other state
organizations. This blueprint could also serve as a road map for refugees who are looking for
services to be able to connect the dots at the local and state level.
Strategy 2 Best Practices: During the calls, many best practices were shared. Information
between all the service providers should reside in a place accessible to all support services,
stakeholders, and resettlement agencies.
Strategy 3 Centralized Hub: The Office of New Americans does an exemplary job at organizing
and coordinating support services for refugees and immigrants. This office should build out a
centralized hub with information for stakeholders, refugees, support services, and resettlement
agencies. The documents and updates should be available in multiple languages. State agencies
that offer services for immigrants and refugees should be required to have a link to this hub.
Strategy 4 Language Access: All documents for refugees and immigrants should be
professionally translated and accessible through different modalities such as websites, fliers, and
posters in social service and workforce centers. Access to interpreters for refugees at state
agencies and workforce centers should be a priority.
Strategy 5 National Partners: The Commonwealth needs to partner with national nonprofits and
businesses who support the refugee population in Virginia and around the country. Best practices
from other states can be gleaned from these organizations and implemented in Virginia.
Businesses that have a broad multistate footprint can also share best hiring and retention
practices that have been successful for the refugee population.
10
Goal 2: Partner with employers to develop expedited pathways to employment for refugees.
Strategy 1 On-the-Job Experiences: The combination of training and on the job experiences
with an emphasis on cultural competency and workplace behavior can help build out an
individual’s resume and career pathway. Some employers can provide English language courses
or other terminology courses specific to the industry. Other training can be a rotation for the
refugee to explore different jobs and skill sets.
Strategy 2 Employer Incentives: The Commonwealth can examine if it is feasible to incentivize
employers with grants or tax credits for hiring refugees. These grants can be awarded if a
business hires a certain number of refugees or facilitates access to vocational training, English or
digital literacy courses. Alternative work agreements such as internships, apprenticeships, and
boot camps to help develop needed skills could also be evaluated. Employers can conduct
training at resettlement locations to develop deeper partnerships.
Strategy 3 Employer Cultural Competence: State agencies will work with employers to provide
training and education for hiring managers and recruiters to minimize unconscious bias in the
hiring process and raise awareness of the value refugees bring to employers. This training can be
delivered through online courses, in person meetings, and trade and business associations. Tool
kits and guidance will be provided through the centralized hub.
Strategy 4 Identification of Barriers to Success on the Job: Evaluations need to be conducted
on barriers to job placement and growth. Strategies will be developed to provide better support
for refugees after employment.
Strategy 5 Earn and Learn Opportunities: More registered apprenticeships and paid internships
need to be created in high demand areas where refugees can earn a paycheck and a skill.
Apprenticeship information and application should be translated in multiple languages.
Strategy 6 Statewide Hiring and Support Strategy: Similar to the Virginia Values Veterans
(V3), Virginia should create a certification program for employers that train human resource
professionals and hiring managers to practice equitable hiring practices, and support refugees on
the job. This program can also set a hiring goal established by policy makers.
11
Goal 3: Collaborate with agencies and nonprofits to support the success of refugees on the
job or in training with childcare, housing, transportation, and other support services.
Strategy 1 Navigator Program: Each resettlement agency has personnel that supports
employment, health, and housing. A navigator program, similar to GlobalMichigan, can facilitate
access to the resources and services needed to remove barriers faced by refugees.
Strategy 2 Whole Family Supports: Aligning to Virginia Department of Social Services
strategies, Virginia should provide whole family support from children to parents to reduce
poverty and provide multi-generational support when implementing interventions and programs.
Strategy 3 Leverage Community Support Personnel: Community supports can be provided by
federal, state, or local agencies with wrap-around support such as housing, workforce training,
food security, childcare services, and transportation. Each community should have a list of
support that can be provided and when possible, have one navigator or agency in charge of
connecting families to all these services. The community support personnel also need to be
provided with professional development to know how to serve the immigrant population
effectively.
Strategy 4 Equitable Access: Because of the expense of translation services and interpreters, a
shared services model should be developed to support local service providers. All access points
to services should be reviewed and audited to make sure that equal access is achieved for all
refugees.
Goal 4: Develop career and licensing pathway maps for refugees where previous work and
educational experiences can be leveraged.
Strategy 1 Accelerated Educational Pathways: Many refugees bring formal education and
professional experiences with them when entering the US. In high demand occupations,
competency-based education and credit for prior learning models should be examined to
accelerate paths to licensure or occupational certification.
Strategy 2 Licensure Requirements: The Commonwealth should adopt a discretionary program
which allows the state to waive some licensing requirements where an applicant can demonstrate
competency or experience. Licensure requirements need to be examined in high demand
occupations to reduce barriers for refugees who bring experiences from their native countries.
12
Strategy 3 Mentorship: To gain experience needed for licensure or a career, individuals can
practice or work under a mentor. Mentors can be trained to work specifically with refugees or be
a support person on the job to help with cultural awareness and language skills.
Goal 5: Strengthen the alignment and relationships between educational institutions and the
refugee population in Virginia.
Strategy 1 Data Collection: Better data is needed to identify which educational institutions, from
K-12 to higher education, have large numbers of refugees enrolled and which institutions provide
individualized programs for refugees. This data is important when examining resource
allocations to support educational pathways.
Strategy 2 Professional Development and Cultural Awareness: In education institutions with
high levels of refugees, faculty, administrators, and staff should be provided with professional
development opportunities to be educated on important community supports, cultural
sensitivities, and best practices.
Strategy 3 Curriculum Offerings: Occupational and technical education courses should be
taught in alternative languages. English language courses should be contextualized to certain
occupations such as construction (building codes) and healthcare (medical terminology).
Strategy 4 Digital Literacy: All refugees should be trained on basic digital literacy which
includes emailing, text, web browsers, search engines, social media, document creation, and
smart devices.
Goal 6: Identify partners, non-profit organizations, and agencies with access to data on
employment of refugees and utilize data to improve services available to refugees.
Strategy 1 Baseline Data: The required language for this report included the number of refugees
enrolled in adult basic education and workforce services and a comparison of employment,
education, and professional credentials before and after resettling in the US. This data was not
accessible because refugees are not flagged a certain way in all agency data systems or
information about previous experience is in a case file that is not easy extractable. A baseline
report using the Workforce Data Trust and the VLDS might be helpful but more time is needed
to do the matching events.
Strategy 2 Annual Report: Each year a report should be developed to review budget allocations
to agencies and partners, compare employment outcomes, share best practices, and provide
metrics to see if this report’s goals have been met.
13
Strategy 3 Build Continuous Improvement Model: A model should be developed that is flexible
and responsive to the ever-changing needs of refugees. This model should be updated annually
with employment and programmatic stretch goals.
14
Overview of Appendices
Appendix A: Workgroup Members & Contributors
Appendix B: Workgroup Presentations
Appendix C: Results of Public Comment Survey
15
Appendix A: Workgroup Members & Contributors
Ali Aljanabi Kristin Zagar
Amanda Bergson-Shilcock Kristyn Peck
Barbara Allison-Bryan Leani García Torres
David Brown Mary Broz-Vaughan
David Eshelman Megan Healy
Derek Maxfield Mike Zimmer
Duke Storen Mo Kantner
Elizabeth Madjlesi Mona Siddiqui
Fatima Sanz Nami Patel
Glenn DuBois Penelope Boyd
Grace Poreda Rachel Pollock
Hang Pham Rebecca Neuwirth
Hannah Mercer Rich Andre
Harriet Kuhr Safi Sharif
Heidi Silver-pacuilla Sara McElmurry
James Lane Sarah Zullo
Janice Underwood Seyoum Berhe
Jason Brown Stacey Simon
Jennie Murray Susannah Lepley
Julie Jacobs Sy Mamadou
Karen Phillippi Veronica Rossini
Kate Ayers William Canny
Kathy Tran Yaron Schwartz
Keisha Smith Zakir Khan
Kenn Speicher
16
Appendix B: Workgroup Presentations
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Appendix C: Results of Public Comment Survey
Respondents:
27 responses to the public comment survey were received on behalf of the following
organizations representing:
● BCGR ● Southwest Virginia AHEC
● Blue Ridge AHEC ● SVWDB, Inc.
● Capital Area Health Education ● Their Story is Our Story
Center ● Virginia Department of Behavioral
● Fairfax County Health Department Health and Developmental Services
● FCPS ● Virginia Department of Health
● Harrisonburg City Public Schools Professionals
● Harrisonburg Rockingham Living ● Virginia Health Workforce
Wage Campaign Development Authority
● Healthy Community Health Centers ● Virginia Tech
● Northern Virginia AHEC ● Volatia
● NOVA Friends of Refugees ● Way to Go
● ReEstablish Richmond ● World Education Services
● Southern Virginia Higher Education
Center
Survey Questions:
Respondents were asked to indicate their support for the following nine strategies for improving
participation of refugees in Virginia’s workforce. These do not represent a comprehensive list of
those ultimately included in this report.
1. Virginia should develop a central hub where services, education, and training resources
for refugees can be found.
36
2. Virginia should develop a refugee navigator program, where navigators facilitate access
to the resources and services necessary to remove barriers faced by refugees, providing
holistic support to families. (Navigators would provide referrals to a variety of services
including ESL training, housing, healthcare, childcare, transportation, GED programs,
public assistance, training and employment, and licensing and credentialing assistance.)
3. Virginia should develop a Virginia Values Refugees program (comparable to V3), to help
employers develop and implement long-term strategies and best practices in recruiting,
hiring, training, and retaining refugees.
4. Virginia should develop competency-based education programs to accelerate educational
pathways for refugees with professional experience.
5. Virginia should examine licensure requirements for high demand occupations where
refugees have experience in their native country and remove barriers such as SSN and
background check requirements, when possible.
6. Virginia should develop a program like Military Medics and Corpsmen (MMAC) for
refugees that have previous healthcare backgrounds, allowing them to continue to
practice their clinical skills without the required healthcare credentials – while they work
to get those credentials.
7. Virginia should identify partners, non-profit organizations, and agencies with access to
data on employment of refugees and utilize the data to improve services available to
refugees.
8. Virginia should work with employers to provide training and education for hiring
managers and recruiters to minimize unconscious bias in the hiring process.
9. Virginia should work with employers and educational institutions to provide digital
literacy training and resources to refugees.
Results:
1. Virginia should develop a central hub where services, education, and training resources
for refugees can be found.
37
2. Virginia should develop a refugee navigator program, where navigators facilitate access
to the resources and services necessary to remove barriers faced by refugees, providing
holistic support to families. (Navigators would provide referrals to a variety of services
including ESL training, housing, healthcare, childcare, transportation, GED programs,
public assistance, training and employment, and licensing and credentialing assistance.)
3. Virginia should develop a Virginia Values Refugees program (comparable to V3), to help
employers develop and implement long-term strategies and best practices in recruiting,
hiring, training, and retaining refugees.
38
4. Virginia should develop competency-based education programs to accelerate educational
pathways for refugees with professional experience.
5. Virginia should examine licensure requirements for high demand occupations where
refugees have experience in their native country and remove barriers such as SSN and
background check requirements, when possible.
39
6. Virginia should develop a program like Military Medics and Corpsmen (MMAC) for
refugees that have previous healthcare backgrounds, allowing them to continue to
practice their clinical skills without the required healthcare credentials – while they work
to get those credentials.
7. Virginia should identify partners, non-profit organizations, and agencies with access to
data on employment of refugees and utilize the data to improve services available to
refugees.
40
8. Virginia should work with employers to provide training and education for hiring
managers and recruiters to minimize unconscious bias in the hiring process.
9. Virginia should work with employers and educational institutions to provide digital
literacy training and resources to refugees.
41
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