Seeking Work in One's Professional Field of Expertise: Resources for Obtaining Equivalency of Credentials in the U.S. as an Asylum Seeker or Migrant
Written by: Julia
As an immigrant to the US, one’s ability to find meaningful, dignified, and safe employment varies greatly based on one’s recognized legal status. For asylum seekers who are waiting for their asylum claim to be processed, legal job opportunities are limited and risk of human rights violations is high. Although asylum policy in the US is challenging at best, in NYC there are many community organizations working to fill some of the gaps and help provide services for asylum seekers and other migrants that are eager to find meaningful, dignified, and safe employment.
Asylum seekers and other migrants face challenges in finding meaningful work for various reasons. Difficulty obtaining recognition for studies completed in their home country, limited access to educational credentials and related paperwork due to relocation, certification differences, and language barriers are among the most pervasive. Difficulty transferring professional credentials from one’s home country to the United States is a challenge preventing many asylum seekers from finding employment in which they can apply and use their expertise.
Why is it so difficult to transfer one’s professional credentials from one country to another? The United States has no centralized system to oversee the process of obtaining professional certification in regulated fields. This leads to confusing, and often contradictory regulations and procedures for migrants depending on the occupation and city and state in which they live, as well as prohibitive costs and time commitments just to fill out the applications. Due to these barriers and more, oftentimes migrants end up working way below their qualifications, in completely different fields.
Once one gets beyond the confusion and finds accurate information on how to gain professional accreditation, certification requirements compound the challenge. In many professions, such as the medical field, practitioners have to repeat some or all of their coursework or training, and pass a series of exams in order to work in their field of expertise.
“ I am a medical doctor from Venezuela. I want to work in the anesthesia field here in the USA. I have two ways to do that. The 1st option to get the doctor certification, I need to take some exams and then apply for a residency in a hospital. That option was so complicated and took longer for me. The 2nd option is to be a nurse anesthetist. I took that option.” -- Asylee from Venezuela
The following information outlines the current process asylum seekers and other migrants can follow to have academic credentials from other countries recognized here in the United States. The first step is to submit your degree, transcript, or professional credentials to a reputable education evaluation service, such as Globe Language Services. Once the academic or professional degree from one’s home country is equated to a degree recognized within the U.S. system, then these transferred credentials can be used for various purposes, including: applying for college admission and transfer credits; applying for employment and professional licensing; and for evaluation by federal, state and local government agencies, such as NYPD, NYC Board of Education, NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and many others.
One migrant describes the process she went through to pursue working in the same professional field in the U.S. as she had previously in her home country:
“Applying for college was the first thing that I had to do. People with foreign degrees can apply as a "transfer student”...So, I registered at CUNY as a transfer student. The admission department asked me for my high school diploma, doctor of medicine diploma, and Educational equivalent in the United States (I got it in Globe Language Service, Inc. http://www.globelanguage.com).
After that process I was accepted at Lehman College. My academic adviser asked me for the transcript of each course I took in Venezuela. After Lehman college reviewed the transcript, I got 90 transfer credits as a transfer student and to get into the accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program I must have 60 credits. However, I had to have taken some required subjects such as HIN 268 and after finishing that subject I had to take another one called HIN 269. So I had to take two semesters to complete those subjects. I also had to take a nursing school entrance exam called the HESI A2 test.” -- Asylee from Venezuela.
Many asylum seekers and asylees come to this country with vast educational and professional experience, but their professional expertise is not easily recognized. For asylum seekers and other migrants seeking work in their field of expertise, obtaining equivalency of credentials is often the first step. After that, each professional field has its own particular standards and processes. For asylum seekers and other migrants, identifying as a professional with expertise in one’s field can be a strong protective factor to buffer against depression and other mental health issues. Regardless of the field, the right to work in a meaningful, dignified and safe environment is a human right that all asylum seekers and other migrants deserve, and an issue that demands our attention. Surely this inability to recognize knowledge and talent in one’s professional field, whether due to bureaucratic inefficiency or stigma, is a challenge we can, and must, overcome.
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**The following agencies can provide support to migrants seeking employment in their field of expertise:
Professional field: Business
International Rescue Committee
https://www.rescue.org/page/our-goals-economic-wellbeing
Providing business-skills training for in-demand jobs and strengthening connections in local labor markets so that prospective employers can more easily find employees with the skills they need
Professional fields: IT, Engineering, Healthcare, Finance, and Business
Upwardly Global
https://www.upwardlyglobal.org/career-skills-program/
Upwardly Global’s program helps immigrant professionals restart their careers in the United States by providing 1:1 job search assistance; free virtual certification courses in areas such as information technology, computer programming, digital marketing, and project management; access to interactive courses on resumes, interviewing, and professional English; and exclusive virtual networking events.
UpGlo Healthcare Connect matches healthcare employers with internationally trained health and medicine professionals to bolster the U.S. healthcare system, enhance equity and open opportunities for qualified underemployed talent.
https://www.upwardlyglobal.org/healthcare-connect-covid-19/
Professional field: Engineers and those in related fields
The Cooper Union Retraining Program for Immigrant Engineers
https://cooper.edu/academics/outreach-and-pre-college/retraining-program-immigrant-engineers
The program is structured to help participants gain the tools needed to succeed in today’s workforce through preparation for certification exams, introductions to emerging key topics, problem-based seminars, and the technical and professional communication skills required in today’s market.
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**The following websites provide information for obtaining professional accreditation in specific fields:
Professional field: Accounting
To apply to sit for the CPA exam: New York | NASBA
To verify experience in the field of accounting after passing the CPA exam:
NASBA Experience Verification | NASBA
Professional field: Civil Engineer
https://www.ice.org.uk/about-ice/near-you/north-america/usa/working-in-the-usa
Professional field: Law
https://www.internationalstudent.com/study-law/ny-bar-foreign-lawyer/
Professional field: Medicine
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**These are some of the many organizations that will evaluate your non-US coursework and certifications to determine US equivalency, even with limited proof of academic achievements due to displacement as a result of adverse circumstances in your home country. These equivalencies are recognized by universities, federal and state government agencies, employers, and licensure boards across the U.S.
Globe Language Services, Inc.
https://www.globelanguage.com/evaluation-pg-4.html
WES Gateway Program
https://www.wes.org/partners/global-talent-bridge/about-the-wes-gateway-program/
Institute of Foreign Credential Services
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Buscar trabajo en el campo de especialización profesional de uno: recursos para obtener la equivalencia de credenciales en los EE. UU. como solicitante de asilo o migrante
Como inmigrante en los EE. UU., la capacidad de una persona para encontrar un empleo significativo, digno y seguro varía mucho según el estatus legal reconocido de la persona. Para los solicitantes de asilo que esperan que se procese su solicitud de asilo, las oportunidades laborales legales son limitadas y el riesgo de violaciones de derechos humanos es alto. Si bien la política de asilo en los EE. UU. es, en el mejor de los casos, un desafío, en la ciudad de Nueva York hay muchas organizaciones comunitarias que trabajan para llenar algunos de los vacíos y ayudar a brindar servicios a los solicitantes de asilo y otros inmigrantes que están ansiosos por encontrar un empleo significativo, digno y seguro.
Los solicitantes de asilo y otros migrantes enfrentan desafíos para encontrar un trabajo significativo por varias razones. La dificultad para obtener el reconocimiento de los estudios completados en su país de origen, el acceso limitado a las credenciales educativas y el papeleo relacionado debido a la reubicación, las diferencias de certificación y las barreras del idioma se encuentran entre los más generalizados. La dificultad para transferir las credenciales profesionales del país de origen a los Estados Unidos es un desafío que impide que muchos solicitantes de asilo encuentren un empleo en el que puedan aplicar y utilizar su experiencia.
¿Por qué es tan difícil transferir las credenciales profesionales de un país a otro? Estados Unidos no tiene un sistema centralizado para supervisar el proceso de obtención de certificación profesional en campos regulados. Esto conduce a regulaciones y procedimientos confusos y, a menudo, contradictorios para los migrantes según la ocupación y la ciudad y el estado en los que viven, así como costos prohibitivos y compromisos de tiempo solo para completar las solicitudes. Debido a estas barreras y más, a menudo los inmigrantes terminan trabajando muy por debajo de sus calificaciones, en campos completamente diferentes.
Una vez que uno supera la confusión y encuentra información precisa sobre cómo obtener la acreditación profesional, los requisitos de certificación aumentan el desafío. En muchas profesiones, como el campo de la medicina, los profesionales deben repetir parte o la totalidad de sus cursos o capacitación, y aprobar una serie de exámenes para poder trabajar en su campo de especialización.
“Soy médico de Venezuela. Quiero trabajar en el campo de la anestesia aquí en los Estados Unidos. Tengo dos maneras de hacer eso. La primera opción para obtener la certificación de médico, necesito tomar algunos exámenes y luego solicitar una residencia en un hospital. Esa opción fue tan complicada y tomó más tiempo para mí. La segunda opción es ser enfermera anestesista. Tomé esa opción”. -- Asilado de Venezuela
La siguiente información describe el proceso actual que los solicitantes de asilo y otros migrantes pueden seguir para obtener credenciales académicas de otros países reconocidas aquí en los Estados Unidos. El primer paso es enviar su título, transcripción o credenciales profesionales a un servicio de evaluación de educación acreditado, como Globe Language Services. Una vez que el título académico o profesional del país de origen se equipara con un título reconocido dentro del sistema de los EE. UU., estas credenciales transferidas se pueden usar para varios propósitos, que incluyen: solicitar la admisión a la universidad y transferir créditos; solicitar empleo y licencia profesional; y para la evaluación por parte de agencias gubernamentales federales, estatales y locales, como la policía de Nueva York, la Junta de Educación de la Ciudad de Nueva York, el Departamento de Servicios Administrativos de la Ciudad de Nueva York (DCAS), la Autoridad de Transporte Metropolitano (MTA) y muchos otros.
Una migrante describe el proceso por el que pasó para seguir trabajando en el mismo campo profesional en los EE. UU. como lo había hecho anteriormente en su país de origen:
“Aplicar para la universidad fue lo primero que tuve que hacer. Las personas con títulos extranjeros pueden presentar una solicitud como "estudiante transferido"... Entonces, me registré en CUNY como estudiante transferido. El departamento de admisiones me pidió mi diploma de escuela secundaria, el diploma de doctor en medicina y el equivalente educativo en los Estados Unidos ( Lo conseguí en Globe Language Service, Inc. http://www.globelanguage.com).
Después de ese proceso fui aceptado en Lehman College. Mi asesor académico me pidió la transcripción de cada curso que tomé en Venezuela. Después de que Lehman College revisó la transcripción, obtuve 90 créditos de transferencia como estudiante de transferencia y para ingresar al programa acelerado de licenciatura en ciencias en enfermería debo tener 60 créditos. Sin embargo, tenía que haber tomado algunas materias requeridas como HIN 268 y después de terminar esa materia tenía que tomar otra que se llama HIN 269. Entonces tuve que tomar dos semestres para completar esas materias. También tuve que tomar un examen de ingreso a la escuela de enfermería llamado examen HESI A2”. -- Asilado de Venezuela
Muchos solicitantes de asilo y asilados vienen a este país con una vasta experiencia educativa y profesional, pero su experiencia profesional no se reconoce fácilmente. Para los solicitantes de asilo y otros inmigrantes que buscan trabajo en su campo de especialización, obtener la equivalencia de credenciales suele ser el primer paso. Después de eso, cada campo profesional tiene sus propios estándares y procesos particulares. Para los solicitantes de asilo y otros inmigrantes, identificarse como un profesional con experiencia en el campo de uno puede ser un fuerte factor de protección para amortiguar la depresión y otros problemas de salud mental. Independientemente del campo, el derecho a trabajar en un entorno significativo, digno y seguro es un derecho humano que todos los solicitantes de asilo y otros migrantes merecen, y un tema que exige nuestra atención. Seguramente esta incapacidad para reconocer el conocimiento y el talento en el campo profesional, ya sea por ineficiencia burocrática o por estigma, es un desafío que podemos y debemos superar.
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**Las siguientes agencias pueden brindar apoyo a los inmigrantes que buscan empleo en su campo de especialización:
Campo profesional: Negocios
International Rescue Committee
https://www.rescue.org/page/our-goals-economic-wellbeing
Brindar capacitación en habilidades comerciales para trabajos en demanda y fortalecer las conexiones en los mercados laborales locales para que los posibles empleadores puedan encontrar más fácilmente empleados con las habilidades que necesitan.
Campos profesionales: TI, Ingeniería, Salud, Finanzas y Negocios
Upwardly Global
https://www.upwardlyglobal.org/career-skills-program/
El programa de Upwardly Global ayuda a los profesionales inmigrantes a reiniciar sus carreras en los Estados Unidos brindándoles asistencia en la búsqueda de empleo 1:1; cursos gratuitos de certificación virtual en áreas como tecnología de la información, programación de computadoras, marketing digital y gestión de proyectos; acceso a cursos interactivos sobre currículums, entrevistas e inglés profesional; y eventos exclusivos de redes virtuales.
UpGlo Healthcare Connect conecta a los empleadores de atención médica con profesionales de la salud y la medicina capacitados internacionalmente para reforzar el sistema de atención médica de EE. UU., mejorar la equidad y abrir oportunidades para talentos calificados subempleados.
https://www.upwardlyglobal.org/healthcare-connect-covid-19/
Campo profesional: Ingenieros y afines
The Cooper Union Retraining Program for Immigrant Engineers
https://cooper.edu/academics/outreach-and-pre-college/retraining-program-immigrant-engineers
El programa está estructurado para ayudar a los participantes a obtener las herramientas necesarias para tener éxito en la fuerza laboral actual a través de la preparación para los exámenes de certificación, introducciones a temas clave emergentes, seminarios basados en problemas y las habilidades de comunicación técnica y profesional requeridas en el mercado actual.
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**Los siguientes sitios web brindan información para obtener acreditación profesional en campos específicos:
Campo profesional: Contabilidad
Para solicitar rendir el examen de CPA: Nueva York | NASBA
Para verificar la experiencia en el campo de la contabilidad después de aprobar el examen de CPA: Verificación de experiencia NASBA | NASBA
Campo profesional: Ingeniero Civil
https://www.ice.org.uk/about-ice/near-you/north-america/usa/working-in-the-usa
Campo profesional: Derecho
https://www.internationalstudent.com/study-law/ny-bar-foreign-lawyer/
Campo profesional: Medicina
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**Estas son algunas de las muchas organizaciones que evaluarán sus cursos y certificaciones fuera de los EE. UU. para determinar la equivalencia en los EE. UU., incluso con pruebas limitadas de logros académicos debido al desplazamiento como resultado de circunstancias adversas en su país de origen. Estas equivalencias son reconocidas por universidades, agencias gubernamentales federales y estatales, empleadores y juntas de licencias en los EE. UU.
Globe Language Services, Inc.
https://www.globelanguage.com/evaluacion-pg-4.html
WES Gateway Program
https://www.wes.org/partners/global-talent-bridge/about-the-wes-gateway-program/
Institute of Foreign Credential Services
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