Show HN: Who is hiring refugees? Or, hacking visas to help refugees
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7829033I built http://www.hirerefugees.org to connect refugees with work visas for safe countries and employers who want to help.
Hiring a refugee is a rare chance to change – and possibly save – someone’s life. You can do it for about the same cost as hiring whomever you would have hired otherwise. It may be one of the most efficient ways to make the world better.
The Syrian civil war as created the world’s greatest refugee crisis. There has been fighting in every major city for years. Over 160,000 people have been killed since the beginning on the conflict. Over 9 million people have been displaced.
Fortunately, many Syrians are qualified to work abroad because they are well educated and speak English or other foreign languages. Working abroad can transform the lives of refugees who would otherwise live in the midst of an unending armed conflict or live indefinitely in refugee camp tent cities.
There are visa programs suitable for young people and experienced professionals:
- Au pair visas are available in the US, Europe and South Africa for young people, 18 to 30 years old, who are proficient in English or some European languages.
- The US has an intern visa program for English-speaking university students or recent graduates.
- The US also has a visa program for "trainees" who have a university degree in their field and two years of experience or five years of experience.
- Refugees who are certified to teach and speak English qualify for a visa to teach in the United States.
- Of course, there are visa programs for experienced professionals in many countries.
It is important to note that civilized countries generally don’t force people to return to dangerous war zones.
You can see refugee job seekers here: http://www.hirerefugees.org/candidates/search?occupation=None&language=None
If you would like help with the process of acquiring a visa for a refugee, please contact me at matthew.walsh-cloonagh@hirerefugees.org