How a Rockland nonprofit connects migrants with employers who need workers

SPRING VALLEY – Nearly two dozen men and women sat in a classroom at Konbit Neg Lakay one recent morning, carefully surveying job applications. New arrivals to the country, they listened carefully as instructions were provided in Haitian Creole so they could fill out the sheet that could lead to a job.

Gov. Kathy Hochul in early October announced new initiatives to get migrants ready to enter the workforce and no longer need government support.

That's what Konbit, a nonprofit, has been doing for weeks now, said CEO Renold Julien.

In early October, Uneeda Enterprizes, a Spring Valley-based industrial product manufacturer and packager, partnered with Konbit, coming to its community center on East Church Street in the immigrant-dense village to interview potential job candidates.

Uneeda was the second employer to tap into Konbit's network with a job fair. More are planned.

Finding migrants work: NY announces new job openings for asylum seekers. Which fields have open jobs?

Migrants need work and companies like his need workers, said Bruce Fuchs, CEO of Uneeda. He heard about the program from Julien. The two serve together on the Workforce Development Board of Rockland County.

Fuchs said Uneeda was started by his parents, both immigrants, so he understands that most have strong work ethics and just want the chance to earn a decent living.

New immigrants know and trust Konbit, a nonprofit that’s recognized and accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice. The organization offers support for immigrants, including language classes and help with paperwork.

With some pathways to the U.S. opening for certain migrants and asylum seekers, and crises in many countries pushing people out, Konbit has seen the demand for help climb. Julien said already this year, the small agency has helped more than 800.

Former police technician had to leave Haiti

Renel Ilorme was among those holding a Uneeda application, waiting for his interview. The 35-year-old former police technician had come from Grand Goave, Haiti, to Rockland in April. The violence in Haiti poses particular risk to police, and he knew he was a target.

He's working at a nearby Mcdonald's, has gotten a Social Security card and driver's permit. He wants to earn more and build a career.

"I like learning," Ilorme said. He's taken English classes at Konbit, and listens to music and watches movies to brush up his language skills. "I'm doing my best."

According to Hochul, some 18,000 private-sector jobs are available to migrants with new working papers; 2,900 are reportedly in the Hudson Valley. The state Department of Labor website has an "Asylum Seeker Employment Efforts" page with links to a "job opportunities" form for migrants seeking work and a "business inquiries" form for potential employers.

"Migrants and asylum seekers came here to work — so let's put them to work," Hochul said when announcing the program Oct. 2. "Right now, we have a migrant crisis and a workforce crisis. By connecting work-eligible individuals with jobs and opportunity in New York, we can solve them both and secure a brighter future for all New Yorkers."

Julien said the Hochul administration's efforts were good. But he believed that local immigrant organizations like his could help boost those state efforts.

And though the state DOL site uses the term "asylum seekers," the newest immigrants to New York are coming here in various ways and would qualify for job help as long as they have permission to work.

Paths to NY and to work

Asylum seekers crossing the southern border get a lot of attention, as does the wave of people being bused up north to New York City and other cities.

But many new arrivals to the Hudson Valley are coming to the area because they have a connection here and already have a clear pathway to working papers.

Most immigrants who visit Konbit have come to Rockland via a humanitarian parole program established by President Biden last year that allows up to 30,000 sponsored people each month to enter the U.S. from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. These new immigrants are qualified to quickly receive work permits and Social Security cards.

Those who qualify for Temporary Protected Status also can get work permits in weeks or months.

Asylum seekers are coming too, often on their own. They follow a work-permit process that is designed to take around six months but takes much longer. The process is overwhelmed by the number of people flowing over the southern border. But it's also laborious and complex.

Legal help is often needed for asylum seekers to successfully file and win the designation, Julien said, and it can cost thousands of dollars.

His agency can help with these processes, but Julien said more access to legal support is needed.

So is a basic understanding of why immigrants leave their homelands and what they can contribute here, he said.

"Immigrants, all they are looking for is the opportunity to work," said Julien, who came to the U.S. 37 years ago. "Just look at me."

Nancy Cutler covers People & Policy for lohud.com and the USA Today Network New York. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rockland NY nonprofit connects immigrant job seekers with employers