Kelly Acheson, Communications Specialist, WES

Even with much of the attention of policymakers focused on revitalizing the U.S. and Canadian economies, the discussion has largely ignored two communities likely to play a significant role in the post-pandemic recovery: that of immigrants and refugees.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, immigrants and refugees have suffered disproportionate financial losses. Without an intentional focus on recovery in these communities, the long-term consequences may be severe—an outcome that would hurt not only individuals, but the overall economy of the countries where they live. Given that immigrants are expected to be primary drivers of future workforce and economic growth in the U.S. and Canada, finding ways to help newcomers better leverage their experiences and skills will be crucial to rebuilding the economy of each country.

In a recent social media forum hosted by World Education Services (WES), participants explored some of the steps immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations, experts, and advocates can take to support these communities. The discussion crowdsourced information and resources that can best empower new Americans and new Canadians to use available services and move forward in a post-pandemic world.

Using the hashtag #ImmigrantsThrive, participants in the August 26 Twitter chat discussed a variety of topics and solutions—from finance and policy to health care and employment—aimed at uplifting immigrants and refugees.

Below are the key topics and insights covered during the discussion:

1. Immigrants Will Be Key to Future Economic Growth: Policymakers, Employers, and Others Must Offer High-Impact, Tailored Training and Access to Opportunity

The pandemic has hit immigrant and refugee communities hard. Between February and May, employment among workers born outside the U.S. fell 19 percent, compared with just a 12 percent drop among U.S.-born workers, according to the Pew Research Center. The impact of COVID-19 has been similar in Canada: The rate of job loss reached 16 percent among recent immigrants, versus just 11 percent among Canadian-born workers, according to the Labour Market Information Council (LMIC). These losses may not just be temporary. The LMIC study also shows that the employment rate has been slower to recover for new arrivals than for Canadian-born workers. Other researchers worry that prolonged unemployment could hurt the long-term job prospects of recent immigrants and those new to the job market.

Participants in the #ImmigrantsThrive discussion were quick to point out the importance of newcomers to the future economic growth of both the U.S. and Canada—a fact supported by the LMIC study.

A3: Employers must be willing to tap into diverse talents and recognize that this can lead to innovation and improved productivity. @StatsCan_eng predicts that by 2030 more than 80% of the growth of the labour force will come from immigrants. #ImmigrantsThrive

— Steven Tobin (@StevenTobinLMIC) August 26, 2020

In the U.S., the outlook is similar: Immigration is expected to be the primary factor driving growth in the working-age population through at least 2035, according to the Pew Research Center.

But ensuring that immigrants can fully contribute to the U.S. and Canadian economies and the post-pandemic recovery will require a concerted effort on the part of advocates and policymakers, as well as immigrants themselves. Twitter chat participants discussed the many actions newcomers can take to overcome specific challenges and prepare for the labor market. Notable examples included obtaining micro-credentials and enrolling in bridging programs. The discussion also highlighted the role that organizations and employers can play. Among the initiatives suggested were mentorship programs and networking support.

A6: Immigrants / foreign students often don’t realize the value of networking. It’s the job of universities and other institutions to ensure that these cultural differences are taught – only then can immigrants & refugees thrive in their new home country. (2/2) #ImmigrantsThrive

— Sasha Ramani (@sasha_ramani) August 26, 2020

Ensuring that immigrants and refugees can find employment commensurate with their experience and qualifications presents other challenges. Those who hold international licenses, qualifications, and work experience often find their path to employment barred by U.S. and Canadian licensing and certification requirements. Chat participants stressed the importance of expanding pathways to licensure and certification as a way of fully integrating newcomers into the labor force. Participants also noted the importance of credential evaluation to promoting the recognition of international academic qualifications. Having international qualifications, licenses, and work experience recognized by a wider pool of employers and professions will be critical to the professional integration of immigrants and refugees.

Immigrants & refugees need pathways toward licensing & certification when they come to the US with experience, licenses & degrees from abroad. This benefits individuals, communities & the nation as they fill critical healthcare & other positions. #ImmigrantsThrive

— Refugee Congress (@RefugeeCongress) August 26, 2020

A8 – To ensure that immigrants and refugees can contribute to a post-pandemic world in Canada & the U.S., the accreditation process for Internationally Educated Individuals with high-in-demand skills (i.e. healthcare) should be expedited (1/2) #ImmigrantsThrive

— CareerLoans (@CareerLoans) August 26, 2020

A3: Credential evaluation and recognition as well as bridging programs are valuable tools in helping #immigrants and #refugees thrive in high-growth fields and jobs. #ImmigrantsThrive

— WES Canada (@WESCanada) August 26, 2020

But which sectors should be the focus of efforts to expand training opportunities and the recognition of international qualifications? During the Twitter chat, the consensus was that focusing on the sectors which would grow fastest over the next decade—health care, long-term care, technology, education, hospitality, and social services—has the potential to benefit a high, and rising, number of immigrants and refugees.

A3. Long Term Care projected 178k job vacancies before COVID. Demand for care aids, recreation aids, physios, nurses and administrators in this area will be huge in the coming years. @BCCareProviders is looking to innovative solutions to meet this demand #ImmigrantsThrive

— Patrick MacKenzie (@pbmackenzie) August 26, 2020

A3: #Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing sectors and is crucial to the fight against #COVID19. NAE research shows that #immigrants are critical to the healthcare industry and make up 16.4% of the sector’s workforce. Read more here: https://t.co/sX2vuSGZJ4 #ImmigrantsThrive

— New American Economy (@NewAmericanEcon) August 26, 2020

A3: High growth areas MOSAIC sees are IT, health & social services, & farming. Our work with organizations such as @manufacturingbc to address this growth, focuses on providing #mentorship and targeted hiring & skills development. #ImmigrantsThrive

— MOSAIC (@MOSAICBC) August 26, 2020

2. Immigrants Play a Large and Growing Role in Our Health: Policymakers and Advocates Need to Work to Expand Immigrant Access to Licensure and Certification

Not only is the health care industry likely to expand rapidly over the next decade, it already employs a significant number of immigrant and refugee workers. Of the more than six million new Americans in essential jobs, nearly half are employed in the health care and social services industries, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

The pandemic further underscored the contributions of the internationally educated to the health care sectors of both the U.S. and Canada. With local health care systems in the U.S. straining under the growing number of COVID-19 cases, many local governments and policymakers turned to internationally trained health professionals for help. These labor shortages accelerated reforms which, although temporary, successfully expanded access to licensure and career advancement for internationally educated health care professionals (IEHPs), including international medical graduates (IMGs). Chat participants highlighted the importance of these reforms to IEHPs and to the health care systems of both the U.S. and Canada. They also stressed the need to look beyond temporary expedients to lasting reforms.

A4: Lately we have turned our eyes to International #Medical Graduates (IMGs) in the face of #COVID19. We need to focus on bridging the gaps in credential, knowledge and experience recognition in Canada to support our overburdened health-care system. 🇨🇦

— MOSAIC (@MOSAICBC) August 26, 2020

A4 Several U.S. Governors have allowed internationally licensed health professionals to lend their talents to the #COVID response. While these measures are temporary they represent building momentum towards lasting reform. Learn more here:https://t.co/IxpGiA6lGQ #ImmigrantsThrive

— IMPRINT (@IMPRINTproject) August 26, 2020

A4 1/3 Immigrants comprise 25.5% of health care and social assistance sector. There’s a continued need for more health care workers. Yet, internationally trained health professionals (IEHPs) face barriers to becoming licensed in Canada to fill these gaps. #ImmigrantsThrive

— WES Canada (@WESCanada) August 26, 2020

A4 2/3 We need to facilitate IEHPs’ professional integration during and post #COVID19 and create pathways to licensure for them in Canada. According to @StatCan_eng, ~40,300 jobs in health occupations were unfilled in Q3 of 2019. #ImmigrantsThrive

— WES Canada (@WESCanada) August 26, 2020

3. Immigration Policy Can Open Doors: Policymakers Should Push to Expand Immigration Pathways and Develop Tools to Match Immigrant Skills to Community Needs

Immigration policy plays an important role in determining the employment eligibility of newcomers. New or updated immigration policies can help bring down employment barriers. In the U.S., Cris Ramón of the Bipartisan Policy Center proposed the development of “viable temporary to permanent pathways for immigrants,” similar to the Canadian Experience Class program. Such pathways would benefit both employers and new arrivals, allowing employers to retain talented workers long-term, and facilitating the transition of temporary work visa holders to permanent residency.

One policy is developing viable temporary to permanent pathways for immigrants that allows them to live and work in the United States and Canada while giving employers the ability to retain the workers they need for their long-term economic needs #ImmigrantsThrive https://t.co/Pfd3D8S9gi

— Cris Ramón (@CramonBPC) August 26, 2020

In Canada, the Laboratory for Artistic Intelligence highlighted the need to root immigration in local realities, a goal the proposed Municipal Nominee Program (MNP) sought to achieve. Although the pandemic temporarily interrupted plans for the MNP, such a program would empower local authorities and municipalities to forecast labor shortages in a way that would shape labor opportunities for newcomers.

Immigration policies need modernization. See our report for more details. https://t.co/gfdUkWLhhk #ImmigrantsThrive pic.twitter.com/Y5BxZTobrH

— Laboratory for Artistic Intelligence (@artisticknowing) August 26, 2020

Patrick MacKenzie, CEO of the Immigrant Employment Council of British Columbia, proposed integrating a skills assessment as part of the Express Entry immigration application process. He noted that aligning skills with the labor market, and developing a method to assess and accredit these skills, would widely benefit both new Canadians and employers.

A4. A skills assessment as part of Express Entry along with credential & language assessments. Imagine if immigrants knew how their skills could be used in Canada and employers could see the practical skills of a global workforce looking to come to Canada #ImmigrantsThrive

— Patrick MacKenzie (@pbmackenzie) August 26, 2020

Developing and refining pathways to permanent residency now would drastically improve the professional integration of new arrivals well into the future.

4. Access to Finance Must Be Expanded: Financial Institutions, Non-Profits, and Others Must Explore More Inclusive Lending Practices and Promote Financial Knowledge

Chat participants also explored the strategies that financial institutions, non-profits, and start-ups can use to advance the financial security of immigrants and refugees. Many participants stressed the importance of modernizing traditional banking and lending practices to make them more inclusive and flexible.

A2: Better and more flexible loan products and services need to be a priority for the larger banking institutions. Our Semi’a Loan Program has deployed over half a million $$ in business loans to 67 clients, with a 96% payback rate. (1/3)

— Inclusive Action for the City (@InclusivAction) August 26, 2020

A2: Inclusion must be intentional with sufficient investment and co-development of effective strategies to ensure digital, language, cultural, and gender inclusion. #ImmigrantsThrive #adultedu #digitalinclusion

— World Ed – USA (@WorldEdUS) August 26, 2020

Access to credit is often difficult if not impossible for newcomers, who usually arrive without a credit score or history that can be used to evaluate creditworthiness. But there are more inclusive metrics, and some financial start-ups are using them. Both MPOWER Financing and Nova Credit incorporate non-traditional data to assess creditworthiness, thereby expanding access to individuals who might have otherwise been deemed ineligible.

A2: In a globalized economic system, I’ve always been struck at the lack of recognition of global credit. A credit card is a credit card. Too often newcomers have to restart their credit history, w no recognition of their intl credit. That should change. #ImmigrantsThrive 1/7

— Marco Campana (@marcopolis) August 26, 2020

A2: Banks rely too heavily on metrics that often don’t apply to immigrants: how long your credit history is, for example. Startups like @MPOWERfinancing are realizing that we can use non-traditional data to evaluate the credit of immigrants/students. (1/2) #ImmigrantsThrive

— Sasha Ramani (@sasha_ramani) August 26, 2020

Participants highlighted a number of other actions that non-profits, lenders, and other organizations can take to promote financial inclusion. Important suggestions included holding financial health and literacy workshops, producing financial documents and information brochures in languages other than English, and providing targeted financial support to immigrant- and refugee-owned small businesses through microloans, low-interest credit, and other financing options.

#WindmillMicrolending and other non-profits complement the work of financial institutions by offering newcomers information, coaching and mentorship in addition to affordable credit and client-centered repayment terms. These supports help #ImmigrantsThive in Canada.

— Claudia Hepburn, CEO, Windmill Microlending (@CeoHepburn) August 26, 2020

A2: Offer programming that helps immigrants understand and access the financial mainstream. Too often, there are information gaps and cultural barriers to economic integration. #ImmigrantsThrive

— Building Skills Partnership (@Building_Skills) August 26, 2020

A2: Yes, often times this information can be difficult for newcomers to understand. Filling the information gaps, but also, providing it in plain language or in the newcomer’s first language will help.

— AMSSA (@amssabc) August 26, 2020

A2 – Since Canadian financial culture differs from other countries, financial Institutions, non-profits & start-ups should put emphasis on financial literacy towards immigrants and refugees. #ImmigrantsThrive (1/5)

— CareerLoans (@CareerLoans) August 26, 2020

A2: Create an enabling environment for immigrant- and refugee-owned MSMEs, especially microbusinesses. Offer financial support designed to grow these businesses. Provide digital access and training for virtual business operations. #ImmigrantsThrive

— Many Languages One Voice (@mlovdc) August 26, 2020

5. Immigrant Voices Cannot Be Ignored: Inclusivity Will Be Critical to Effectively Integrate Immigrants and Refugees in a Post-pandemic World

As participants identified and worked toward solutions across multiple areas, a common thread emerged: the need to be inclusive. Ensuring that the voices of new arrivals are heard is one of the most important steps that immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations, experts, and advocates can take to facilitate integration. Given the current struggles and projected contributions of newcomers to a post-pandemic recovery, it is more important than ever to ensure that immigrant and refugee voices are heard.

A8: The most important strategy is engagement. Engaging #immigrants & #refugees in the process of recovery involves including AND leveraging their voices in the thinking & decision-making processes. Listen to their lived experience #ImmigrantsThrive #COVID19

— MOSAIC (@MOSAICBC) August 26, 2020

A8: The single most important thing is to involve refugees & immigrants in all the discussions, at the earliest planning stages. We know best what’s needed in our communities and how we can contribute to our wider communities & beyond! #ImmigrantsThrive #RefugeeVoices

— Refugee Congress (@RefugeeCongress) August 26, 2020

Immigrants & refugees should be involved in the planning processes directly. This ensures plans get to the heart of what they need & empowers communities to advocate & develop solutions. Immigrant & refugee voices need to be at the table on all these issues! #ImmigrantsThrive

— Refugee Congress (@RefugeeCongress) August 26, 2020

A8: Immigrants lack representation in all levels of the US society. We need to focus on strategies that include immigrants in any process and keep on reminding people how immigrants make this country better.

— Ben (@FrenchBen_PHL) August 26, 2020

A8: Mutual aid is essential to empower immigrants and refugees during this protracted crisis. By addressing the basic needs of our communities, we can collectively ensure long-term economic resilience and mobility. #ImmigrantsThrive

— Many Languages One Voice (@mlovdc) August 26, 2020

We acknowledge the following organizations which participated in our recent Twitter chat and helped to make it a success:

• ACCES Employment
• Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC
• Beeck Center
• Building Skills Partnership
• Career Loans
• Church World Service
• Hospitality Workers Training Centre
• Immigrant Centre Manitoba
• Immigrant Employment Council of British Columbia
• Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia
• Inclusive Action for the City
• Laboratory for Artistic Intelligence
• Labour Market Information Council
• Many Languages One Voice
• MIRA Coalition
• MOSAIC
• MPOWER Financing
• National Skills Coalition
• New American Economy
• NPower Canada
• RADIUS Refugee Livelihood Lab
• RBC
• Refugee Congress
• Refugees International
• Teach by Tech
• Upwardly Global
• Windmill Microlending
• World Education

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of World Education Services (WES).