WES Blog

In Toronto, the escalating housing crisis and gaps in federal funding have led to the city’s shelters reaching and even exceeding capacity. As a result, many recent refugees and asylum seekers have had to sleep on the city streets. While the allocation of federal and city funding is being figured out, there is an urgent […]

Ruth Demeke, Senior Coordinator of Client Relations at WES, arrived as a newcomer in Canada about 30 years ago and can testify to the work and services offered by settlement agencies. Today, Ruth delivers information sessions about WES and credential evaluations at some of the same agencies she and her family utilized when they first […]

Ellen Makawa is dedicated to her career in public health. Motivated by a desire to continue her education and work in the field, she received a WES credential evaluation. Now she is prepared to take on opportunities—and continue making a difference in global public health. We spoke with her to find out what motivated Ellen […]

In early August, the 2022-2023 Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) cohort held its final quarterly call, culminating the successful launch of a new iteration of the program’s structure. The 16 participating communities[1] collaborated in sub-cohorts that centered on four thematic focus areas: Advancing and Retaining Internationally Skilled Employees, Creating Career Navigation Tools and Resources, Developing […]

“Food is a powerful connector across communities, to lands, as well as to one’s own health, expression, home, lineages, and identity. But the food industry is also built on systemic extraction, appropriation, and exploitation, particularly impacting poor and working-class people of color and immigrants,” says Diana Wu, director of Oakland Bloom, a non-profit in Oakland, […]

by Smitha Das, Joi Edwards, Katheryn Witt   Rethinking Who’s at the Table Philanthropy has the power and the resources to help build an economy where all people—no matter their race or class—can thrive. Power, ownership, and choice over where and how capital is used—to build a representative economy—should be shared. If we want investments to […]

The United States and Canada are among the most popular destinations for international students. Both countries offer world-class universities, diverse learning environments, and career opportunities for graduates.  Business education is a popular option for students, with the Master of Business Administration appealing to business professionals seeking opportunities to learn and grow.   Why Do Students Choose […]

Your educational background will be one of your greatest strengths when relocating from Nigeria to the United States to study or work. If you hold educational credentials from an institution in Nigeria, obtaining a WES credential evaluation will be an invaluable tool when you’re applying for work or admission to an academic program in the […]

Before moving to Canada from Egypt, Zeyad obtained a WES credential evaluation to support his educational and career endeavours. We sat down with him to learn more about his background, thoughts on the power of an education, and advice for others who might need a credential evaluation to help them pursue their goals.   Zeyad recalls his parents’ […]

As an immigrant or Temporary Foreign Worker in Canada, the earlier you learn about the licensing process and requirements for your occupation, the more prepared you will be for long-term career planning and success.   In Canada, many professions and trades require that you obtain a license to legally practice. These are called “regulated professions.” This […]

Whether you’re a student planning to study abroad or an employer assessing a candidate’s international academic credentials, you might have read or heard some myths about credential evaluations. Continue reading and learn the truth behind a few of these common misconceptions about receiving a credential evaluation from World Education Services (WES). Myth My academic institution […]

Said Hassan founded Community Services Agency (COMSA) in 2017 to meet the unique needs of refugees and immigrants arriving in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he had settled himself a year earlier.  “Our goal is to build a resourceful community that contributes to the well-being of all residents, to recognize that newly resettled refugees face trauma […]

Internationally trained professionals (ITPs) – a population that has long been served by adult education programs – bring many assets that range from credentials earned in other countries to fluency and literacy in multiple languages, professional work experience, and experience with building social capital. How can adult education programs best support and leverage these unique […]

In June, Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN) kicked off its 2023 Community Benefits Ambassadors program. TCBN, a grantee partner of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund, works to ensure that Toronto’s construction projects provide jobs to immigrants, refugees, women, and other groups underrepresented in the sector. The Ambassadors are emerging leaders in the construction industry. This […]

Communities across the United States are facing severe health workforce shortages. The American Hospital Association (AHA) predicts a “shortage of up to 3.2 million health care workers by 2026.” While the shortages will be felt across all health-related occupations, the AHA projects a shortfall of up to 124,000 physicians by 2033, and the health care […]

Mariam, originally from the Republic of Guinea in West Africa, had a dream of working as a fashion designer. After moving to Atlanta with her husband in 2016, she graduated from MyCity ATL, a program that empowers immigrants and refugees through engagement sessions with city agencies. In 2019, Mariam met Valerie Mills, the senior manager […]

The Drivers Cooperative, a grantee partner of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund, is a New York City-based organization of over 9,000 drivers who came together during the pandemic in pursuit of fundamental change in the rideshare vehicle industry.   A driver-owned alternative to Uber and Lyft, the co-op has been able to create a guaranteed $30 […]

On World Refugee Day, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) calls on us to “champion [the right of refugees] to seek safety, build support for their economic and social inclusion, and advocate for solutions to their plight.”   We recently sat down with Chris Khoury and Cheri Chan from Voice of Refugees, a referral […]

Last month, members of the Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) network participated on a panel that explored the importance of job quality in building a more equitable economy that is inclusive of immigrant and refugee workers. Led by Brooke Valle, a technical assistance provider for SIIP’s Workforce Board Partnerships cohort, the panel included Erica Bouris, […]

“Beginnings have a perplexing beauty.” This is how Eid Mohammad Sultanzoy, a 43-year-old Afghan refugee, describes his experience of arriving in Canada in the summer of 2021. He and his family were forced to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban entered the capital city of Kabul, took control of the country, and imposed severe restrictions on […]