NY State announces 18K jobs available to asylum seekers and migrants with legal work status

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The state identified more than 18,000 job openings with nearly 400 employers willing to hire migrants and asylum seekers who have legal work status in the United States. This includes job openings in accommodation and food services, healthcare and social assistance, manufacturing, and administrative support. 

Governor Hochul identified work authorization as the path out of the migrant crisis, allowing migrants and asylum seekers to leave taxpayer-funded shelters and begin living independently. After months of advocacy, The White House announced plans to grant Temporary Protected Status to people who came to the United States from Venezuela on or before July 31, 2023; the City of New York estimates this will allow more than 15,000 Venezuelan people receive legal work status within 30 days. The Governor has put personnel and resources into case management, to help migrants and asylum seekers fill out the necessary paperwork to attain legal work status.

Employers willing to hire migrants are identified through a portal where they tell the state that they would welcome newly authorized people into their workforce. A registration process where asylum seekers and migrants with work authorization can register for assistance has been established. A team of 70 state personnel representing 16 state agencies lead an outreach program to identify business needs and assess asylum seekers and migrants’ skills and expertise.