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IMPRINT works closely with business, government, higher education and other partners to raise awareness about the talents and contributions of immigrant professionals.
In particular, IMPRINT works to streamline complex professional licensing and re-credentialing processes, and advocate for the adoption of policies and best practices that facilitate the rapid integration of these skilled workers.
To identify and promote best practices in the integration of immigrant professionals. IMPRINT supports national, state and local efforts to incorporate multilingual/multicultural talent, and to create and implement policies and best practices that support the successful integration of skilled immigrants into the US economy. Through its member organizations, IMPRINT also supports the direct provision of career and re-credentialing services to workers.
IMPRINT envisions a United States which actively welcomes internationally educated skilled workers, and recognizes these talented individuals as vital colleagues, neighbors and fellow citizens.
IMPRINT members draw on specialized knowledge to guide work-authorized immigrants in applying their international postsecondary education and professional experience to careers in the US. Member organizations include practitioners, educators, researchers, and policy professionals.
IMPRINT members provide a wide range of services to immigrant professionals, including:
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Bridging the Gap for College-Educated Immigrants: A Guide for Community Colleges
Developed by WES Global Talent Bridge in partnership with Community College Consoritum for Immigrant Education (CCCIE), the Guide is a new resource to support the vital role that community colleges can play in helping skilled immigrants transition into professional careers.
Supporting Skilled Immigrants: A Toolkit for ESL Practitioners
Created by WES Global Talent Bridge, this toolkit tackles the challenges of properly serving the skilled immigrant population in the adult education classroom.
Upwardly Global Resume Builder FAQ & Template
Use this template to help immigrant students and clients create an American resume.
WES Online Degree Equivalency Tool
Designed for immigrants, employers, and service providers, this FREE online tool gives a preview of what an international degree is worth in the US.
Please note:The equivalency provided online is not based on verified information or documents, and so cannot be used for official purposes. To obtain a WES evaluation that will be recognized by U.S. universities, employers and licensing boards, individuals must apply for a WES evaluation and submit official academic documents.
Upwardly Global Professional Licensing Guides for 10 popular careers are available online for four states: California, Illinois, Michigan and New York.
These guides are designed to help skilled understand all of the steps required to earn a state professional license or credential to return to the full practice of a regulated profession.
Career Guides for Skilled Immigrants in Pennsylvania
The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians identified four high-growth industries in Pennsylvania and developed detailed career guides for each field: accountant, mechanical engineer, systems analyst, and teacher. These guides outline the process for becoming a certified professional and provide information about various types of jobs within each field, regional employers who hire these professionals, salary ranges, and employment resources.
On this page, we have compiled a list of research on skilled immigrants produced by outside organizations.
If you know of a relevant report that we should feature, please email us at [email protected]
In a series of five research papers, Paul Harrington and Neeta Fogg examine closely the participation of foreign-educated immigrants in the U.S. labor markets.
Increasing Opportunities for Immigrant Students: Community College Strategies for Success
This report is a comprehensive look at today’s immigrant students who are often older, nontraditional students and their needs. It identifies 11 factors that are predictive of success and spotlights “promising practices” in this field. Additionally, it offers recommendations for policy changes and future investments.
By Jill Casner-Lotto, November 2011
Uneven Progress: The Employment Pathways of Skilled Immigrants in the United States
This detailed analysis from the nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank Migration Policy Institute quantifies the extent of “brain waste” among different groups of skilled immigrants who were educated outside the U.S. The report also offers possible solutions to common barriers that skilled immigrants encounter.
By Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix, October 2008
Credential Recognition in the United States for Foreign Professionals
This report examines the barriers that health and engineering professionals who were educated abroad encounter in attempting to become licensed in the U.S. It looks at cross-country efforts to address credentialing issues that result in underemployment for such individuals and offers policy recommendations.
By Linda Rabben, May 2013
Skills, Professional Regulation, and International Mobility in the Engineering Workforce
This report reviews the skills and structure of the engineering workforce, the industry’s professional regulation, and international efforts to forge common standards. It concludes with an assessment of the barriers to international mobility.
By Mathew Dixon, July 2013
Tackling Brain Waste: Strategies to Improve the Recognition of Immigrants’ Foreign Qualifications
This report examines the range of policies immigrant-receiving countries have introduced to improve the recognition of foreign credentials and focuses on strategies to remedy the credentialing gaps that keep many immigrants from fulfilling their professional potential.
By Madeleine Sumption, July 2013
Recognizing Foreign Qualifications: Emerging Global Trends
In this report, University of Melbourne migration expert Leslieanne Hawthorne examines the qualification assessment process for foreign workers in regulated occupations. She identifies several emerging policies and trends, including the push towards global qualifications in some fields, and the partial or conditional recognition of foreign qualifications in others.
By Leslieanne Hawthorne, July 2013
A Look at Skilled Immigrant Workers in the U.S.
Based on an in-depth analysis of over 500 of their clients, Upwardly Global was able to quantify the economic impact of moving skilled immigrants from low-level jobs into employment that commiserates with their education and experiences obtained abroad.Their analysis show that skilled immigrant integration not only produces immediate benefits for the individual but also larger, lucrative benefits for the nation overall.
April 2013
On Friday, January 27th, President Trump issued an executive order to halt individuals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., suspending the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program, and indefinitely barring Syrian refugees from entering the U.S. The executive order also drastically cut the total number of refugees who can enter the U.S. this year from 110,000 to 50,000 individuals.
IMPRINT strongly opposes this travel ban and believes that it undermines our nation’s prosperity, security, and standing in the world.
Why Should Americans Care About Employing Immigrants?
In this article, IMPRINT Chair Paul Feltman and IMPRINT Steering Committee member Nikki Cicerani are among the experts who explain how hiring skilled and educated newcomers can benefit America.
Published in NationSwell’s Ask the Experts on April 18, 2014.
When Skilled Immigrants Have Other Options
In this op-ed, IMPRINT chair Paul Feltman asserts that the US is no longer the top magnet for international talent and outlines steps to keep the US competitive.
Published in the National Journal’s The Next America on October 22, 2013.
Why Your Taxi Driver Is Smarter Than You Are
IMPRINT Communications & Policy Director Amanda Bergson-Shilcock and IMPRINT Steering Committee member Nikki Cicerani comment on brain waste, the need for skilled immigrant integration and the Senate’s immigration reform bill.
Published online in the National Journal on May 16, 2013. This article appeared in the May 18, 2013, print edition of National Journal as Taxi Driver, Ph.D.
IMPRINT staffer Bao Tram explains why Comprehensive Immigration Reform should include integrating skilled immigrant women.
Published in a blog carnival hosted by Moms Rising and We Belong Together, April 11, 2013.
Tapping the Talent Pool of State’s Skilled Immigrants
Peter Gonzales, President & CEO of the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, a founding member of IMPRINT, shares his vision for skilled immigrants.
Published in Philadelphia Daily News, December 26, 2012.
Helping Highly Skilled Immigrants Find Jobs in the U.S.
In this interview, IMPRINT Funder Suzette Brooks Masters talks about the business case for integrating skilled immigrants.
Published in Diversity Executive, November 21, 2012.
Skilled Immigrants Are Untapped Assets for Regional Economic Development
What do Pittsburgh, Dayton, and Detroit have in common? Find out in this op-ed.
Published in the National Journal’s The Next America, October 17, 2012.
The United States has long attracted some of the world’s best and brightest, drawn by the strong U.S. economy, renowned universities, and reputation for entrepreneurship and innovation. But because of language, credential-recognition, and other barriers many of these highly skilled, college-educated immigrants cannot fully contribute their academic and professional training and skills once in the U.S. As a result they work in low-skilled jobs or cannot find a job — a phenomenon known as brain waste.
Steps to Success: Integrating Immigrant Professionals in the United States
The report, drawn from the survey responses of more than 4,000 college-educated immigrants living in the United States, identifies factors that correlate with their successful integration into American life and offers recommendations for communities to better integrate these skilled workers, and take advantage of their many talents.
Unpacking the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
This publication features key points from a 60-minute webinar about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). It also summarizes the federal requirements and local opportunities for innovation under WIOA.
Filling an Unmet Need: Career Pathways Program for Immigrant Professionals
This 2-pager summarizes the key points from a 60-minute webinar about Immigrant Professional Career Pathways Program of the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians.
Research Gems: What the Latest Findings Tell Us About Skilled Immigrant Success
This 3-pager features selected content from a 60-minute webinar. It summarizes research on college-educated immigrants, reviews policies and practices that facilitate skilled immigrant integration and identifies gaps in existing research and directions for future research.
Latest Numbers: College-Educated Immigrants in the U.S.
This 2-pager summarizes key points from a 60-minute webinar on the latest findings of college-educated immigrants in the U.S.
Becoming an Advocate: How to Influence Policy
This 2-pager highlights key points from a 60-minute webinar on advocacy. It provides practitioners with knowledge and tools to become effective advocates for their skilled immigrant clients.
Becoming an Advocate: Why Practitioners Should Become Involved
This 2-pager explains how doing advocacy can advance your organization’s overal mission. It also illustrates what advocacy in a skilled immigrant context looks like.
Skilled Immigrant Integration Around the Globe
This new 4-pager highlights key points from a 60-minute webinar featuring Maytree. It also summerizes the model programs of skilled immigrant integration in other countries, including the ALLIES program in Canada.
Sparking Economic Development by Investing in Skilled Immigrants
This 2-page summary of a 60-minute webinar highlights two new regional initiatives that integrate international talent into local economies, the NYC Economic Development Corporation Immigrant Bridge Program (IBRIDGE) and Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP).
Alternative Careers for Immigrant Professionals
This 2-page summary of a 60-minute webinar offers advice for practitioners on when and how to help immigrant professionals choose alternative career paths in the US.
What Journalists Need to Know About Immigration Reform & Skilled Workers
This 3-pager analyzes Senate Bill 744 and provides journalists with crucial context and understanding for writing about proposed changes to the immigration system.
Who Are the Skilled Immigrants in Your Community? Gathering the Data
Based on a 60-minute webinar, this 2-pager provides an overview of data resources related to skilled immigrants.
Promising Practices: How Community Colleges Are Serving Skilled Immigrant Students
This 2-page summary of a 60-minute webinar covers examples of best practices for serving skilled immigrant students at community colleges.
Finding Funding for Skilled Immigrant Programs
Summarizing a 60-minute webinar, this 2-page brief covers strategies for securing funding to help skilled immigrants find professional employment.
Building Employer Partnerships to Foster Skilled Immigrant Success
This publication summarizes key points from a 60-minute webinar on how to go beyond simply placing jobseekers, to building strong relationships with employers that help skilled immigrants succeed and sustain your organization.
The Welcome Back Initiative: A Program Model for Integrating Immigrant Health Professionals
This 2-page publication illuminates the benefits of integrating internationally-trained immigrant health professionals and describes how one nonprofit has produced a program model that can be reproduced and adapted in locations across the country.
What Adult Educators Need to Know About Skilled Immigrants
This 2-page summary provides an overview of IMPRINT’s “What Adult Educators Need to Know about Serving Skilled Immigrants” webinar, with key information and resources relevant to educators and administrators working with skilled immigrants. You can find the full presentation slides under our “Webinars” page.
This 2-pager highlights key points from a 60-minute webinar on advocacy. It provides practitioners with knowledge and tools to become effective advocates for their skilled immigrant clients.
How Rhode Island is Making the Most of Skilled Immigrants (Case Study)
IMPRINT’s case study highlights Rhode Island’s successful work with immigrant health professionals. This 2-page case study details the ambitious goals and concrete accomplishments of advocates in this small state.
Time to Grow: 20 Actions States and Communities Can Take – Full Report
Time to Grow Webinar for Great Lakes
This 2-pager highlights key points from a 60-minute webinar on advocacy. It provides practitioners with knowledge and tools to become effective advocates for their skilled immigrant clients.
Federal Policy Recommendations
This 2-pager highlights key points from a 60-minute webinar on advocacy. It provides practitioners with knowledge and tools to become effective advocates for their skilled immigrant clients.