HIRING REFUGEE EMPLOYEES
Does your company or organization want to hire a refugee?
Refugee employees are legally authorized to work and bring a depth of experience and education to their work. Hiring refugees creates a diverse, adaptable workforce with greater capacity for innovation and global perspective.
We encourage you to use the resources below to learn more about how to hire refugee employees and to get in touch with organizations that connect refugees and employers. LIRS is a preferred implementing partner, too, with Tent Partnership for Refugees, which connects refugees with employment and networking opportunities. Read our U.S. Employers’ Guide to Hiring Refugees.
Please fill out the form below to begin the process of hiring refugee employees. We look forward to working with you.
WHERE WE'RE LOCATED
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service operates within a large national network of service providers. When we receive inquiries from employers, we most often refer them to our local partners, who can then connect with them about opportunities and potential employees.
Please see our map of partner organizations below.
If your company is not located within our service area, use this link to find a complete list of refugee resettlement agencies operating in the United States.
NEW! Hire Afghan Refugees
The new U.S. Employers’ Guide to Hiring Afghan Refugees was developed by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and sponsored by the Tent Partnership for Refugees (Tent), a global business network of more than 200 companies committed to integrating refugees in their new communities.
The guide provides essential information for U.S. businesses and their human resources teams that want to hire Afghan refugees. It includes facts about the refugees’ educational and professional backgrounds, where they are likely to settle in the U.S. – and, importantly, a list of organizations that can connect them to Afghans looking for work.
There are approximately 200,000 Afghan immigrants in the U.S. today – about 130,000 that were in the country prior to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on August 30 and 65,000 Afghans have arrived as of September 2021. Another 30,000 are expected to arrive by December 2022. While the majority are still residing in seven military bases across the country, it is expected that the 65,000 Afghans will be resettled in states across the country by February 2022 – meaning they will be starting to look for jobs to support themselves and their families.
Resources
For Employers
- Refugees and Asylees Have the Right to Work
- Job Development in an Economic Recession (Switchboard)
- Form I-9 (For Employers)
- E-Verify Video Guide
- Form I-9 Video Guide
