WES Blog

In 2019, a network of Texas-based adult educators led by the Texas Workforce Commission’s Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program joined the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) to ensure that the state’s adult education system was providing optimized support for its 894,000 college-educated immigrants and refugees, an estimated 21% of whom are unemployed or underemployed […]

Written by Olivia Fox, Program Intern at the WES Mariam Assefa Fund When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, racialized essential workers at the Cargill meatpacking plant in Alberta faced a disproportionately high risk of contracting the virus. The existing exploitative and dangerous work conditions in the meatpacking sector, such as crowded industrial spaces and […]

NEW YORK—(October 23, 2024)  Today, the World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund announced that it is awarding a total of $1 million to 10 organizations that seek to increase civic engagement and leadership among immigrant and refugee community members. The awards, of $100,000 each, are part of an initiative called Elevating Migrant Leadership: Building […]

By Sifat Yusuf, Program Manager, WES Mariam Assefa Fund The immigrant-serving sector in Canada has faced growing challenges amid the country’s ever-shifting policies concerning immigrants and refugees. These challenges range from the impact of global events causing displacement, to the uncertainty of funding and resources, to policies that negatively impact people who hold temporary or […]

In the face of a $8.4 trillion racial wealth gap in the United States, solutions aimed at fostering economic equity are not only crucial, they serve as beacons of hope for tangible change.    Apis and Heritage Capital Partners (A&H), a Black-led impact investment firm founded in 2021, is addressing the racial wealth gap by […]

Are you considering a move from the Caribbean to the United States or Canada? If so, it’s important for you to know that you can continue your education or career without repeating studies that you’ve already completed in your home country.  Considerations when relocating with your Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate   Some employers in the […]

If you’re looking for new educational or career opportunities in the United States or Canada, having your international education evaluated offers many benefits. A credential evaluation report explains the value and equivalency of your academic qualifications to immigration regulators, admissions officers, and potential employers.   This article summarizes the top five reasons why you should obtain […]

From a young age, Bikram Malla developed a deep passion for technology and its potential to transform lives. As he grew, technology remained at the center of his goals. Now Bikram is exploring new opportunities and hopes to immigrate and secure work as an IT professional in Canada. Continue reading to learn about Bikram’s academic […]

In April 2024, the United States Department of Labor released the Bridging the Gap for New Americans Final Report, which analyzes barriers to economic inclusion as well as strategies for overcoming them. In its analysis of currently available resources, the report highlights the need for additional data on internationally trained immigrant and refugee job seekers. […]

St. Louis has one of the country’s fastest-growing immigrant and refugee populations, yet the city misses out on $57 million in taxable earnings each year due to their systemic underemployment and unemployment. In 2018, the International Institute of St. Louis (IISTL) joined the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) to address the barriers driving this disparity.  […]

In November 2023, Immigrants, Refugees Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026, outlining the targeted number of permanent residents admitted under all eligible programs for the next three years. According to the most recent plan, Canada will aim to welcome nearly 1.5 million new permanent residents by 2026.  This is welcome news for […]

To ensure that the credential evaluation process is as easy to understand as possible, we’ve compiled a variety of WES tools and resources designed to help you at every stage of the process. Read below to learn more.  1. Try the WES iGPA Calculator and Degree Equivalency Tool Before you begin your credential evaluation, we […]

Published in March 2024, the Department of Labor’s Bridging the Gap for New Americans report explores the barriers faced by internationally educated immigrants and refugees who seek to resume their careers in the United States. With our labor market increasingly in need of their skills and experience, the report highlights a key factor in workforce […]

In 2012, World Education Services – long known as the leading North American provider of academic credential evaluations for international students and immigrants seeking to work and study in the United States and Canada – made its first foray into systems-change social impact work with the official launch of WES Global Talent Bridge.   Our original […]

  Written by Mohammad Jawad Shahabi, Program Manager Last year, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund partnered with the Foundation of Greater Montreal (FGM) to support its 2023 Collective Fund for Social Equity, a participatory grantmaking initiative and a collaboration between several funders focused on supporting asylum seekers and refugees.   Asylum seekers and refugees face significant […]

For many immigrants and refugees entering the United States, the first priority is often survival. But Eduardo Esquivel and the New Mexico Dream Team go much further—engaging and educating their communities, pushing for policy and systems change, and helping undocumented and mixed-status families thrive.  Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, a 7-year-old Eduardo immigrated with his family […]

In April, the U.S. Department of Labor released its Bridging the Gap for New Americans study of the barriers and opportunities facing internationally educated immigrants and refugees seeking to resume their careers in the United States. The study provides needed guidance for local, state, and federal stakeholders to further strengthen the inclusion of these workers […]

In the United States, key regulated industries like education, engineering, and health care face significant labor shortages that are predicted to deepen in the coming years. Experts in the health care area alone project a shortfall of over 900,000 nurses by 2030 and up to 86,000 physicians by 2036 as the country’s population ages and […]

Grappling with an aging population and acute labor shortages, the Portland Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) joined the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) in 2018 with the goal of bolstering the local workforce through immigrant and refugee economic inclusion.   For years, business leaders in Portland and throughout Maine had been sounding the alarm on a […]

Navigating the job market with an international degree can be challenging. Employers in the United States and Canada might not understand the value of your education. The most objective thing to do this is to obtain a credential evaluation from a reputable credential evaluation provider, like WES.  This article discusses how a credential evaluation can […]