Thousands of refugees have the skills and experience to apply for jobs that would allow them to relocate to safe, new countries and begin to rebuild their lives. However, these work visa pathways are generally unavailable to refugees due to policy and logistical hurdles. Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP), one of the first of its kind, helps qualified refugees like Hassan overcome these challenges, receive permanent relocation, and further their careers. RefugePoint helps refugees in Kenya to connect with the EMPP through our economic mobility program.
Hassan, a Somali refugee who lived in the Dadaab Refugee Camp, first heard about the Economic Mobility Pathways Project through a friend who received a call for applications from RefugePoint through a WhatsApp group. The friend shared the information with Hassan, who applied for the opportunity. RefugePoint reviewed Hassan’s application to assess his skills, work experience and language proficiency to determine his eligibility for the opportunities offered through the EMPP. Hassan’s three years of experience in the medical field as a Personal Care and Disability Care Assistant at Dadaab Refugee Camp and his diploma in psychology from Cambridge University made him a highly qualified candidate. RefugePoint began working with Hassan to complete steps like English proficiency tests, crafting a resume, and preparing for job interviews with potential employers in Canada. On January 10, 2022, Hassan received his job offer as a Personal Care Assistant with Northwood, a long-term care facility in Nova Scotia that provides services and programs for older adults.
“Being a refugee does not mean you are nothing. Refugees can access any opportunity provided they learn, attend school, and study. One simple piece of advice that I would give refugees is to study courses [that would enable them to] compete in the job market,” Hassan said.
In Canada, Hassan hopes to access opportunities that might allow him to improve his earning potential to better support his extended family of ten. “Now that I have gotten this opportunity, I believe I will earn a better income. I will learn new skills and increase my knowledge through this opportunity… I believe I will make a change to my family and the community I’m from,” Hassan shared during his final visit to RefugePoint’s office in June 2023.
