New York is considering a plan to hire thousands of migrants and asylum seekers who have legal work status in the U.S. but may face obstacles to finding a job, such as language skills or previous experience.
State agencies have identified about 4,000 positions that could be filled by these individuals, mostly in entry-level roles that are difficult to recruit, according to a Jan. 12 memo from the Department of Civil Service obtained by Bloomberg News. According to the memo, the positions are primarily in areas such as food service, equipment repair, facilities management and office support.
To make these jobs more accessible, the state is proposing to create “transitional titles” with requirements that better match the candidates’ qualifications. Once in those jobs, workers would receive training and support to help them acquire the necessary skills to qualify for permanent employment.
“These individuals are capable of performing many of the core functions of the positions that government agencies are trying to fill,” the memo said.
Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed a $2.4 billion plan to help meet the needs of the more than 170,000 migrants who have arrived in the city since April 2022. Hochul has also called on the Biden administration to expedite work permits and increase federal aid for migrants, saying letting them work would benefit the state’s economy and ease the humanitarian crisis.
Avi Small, a spokesman for Hochul, confirmed the memo was accurate, adding that the state is still considering changing the job requirements.
“This initiative, which has not yet been implemented, would provide temporary employment opportunities available to anyone who can legally work in the United States,” Small said in an email response to questions. “Governor Hochul has prioritized modernizing our state workforce and eliminating red tape, and she has implemented a series of reforms to achieve that goal.”
First print: January 30, 2024 | 8:19 am IST