About Upwardly Global

We are the premier national organization working to support immigrants and refugees with international credentials to restart their careers in the United States.

Upwardly Global Staff

The Challenge

Statistics show that:
  • Newcomers to the U.S. in recent times are more educated than at any other time in our country’s history.
  • 45% of recently arrived immigrants have at least a bachelor’s degree.

Yet more than 2 million immigrants and refugees with degrees and professional work experience from their home countries face systemic barriers that leave them unemployed or underemployed in the U.S.

Upwardly Global is the first and longest-serving national organization that helps these individuals restart their careers and bring their skills and perspectives into the U.S. workforce. 

Our Mission

Upwardly Global’s mission is to eliminate employment barriers for immigrant and refugee professionals while advancing the inclusion of their skills into the U.S. economy.

Our Vision

We envision an equitable, welcoming country where everyone — including immigrants, refugees, and asylees — can fully contribute and thrive.

How Upwardly Global Works

Upwardly Global is committed to using our knowledge and experience to build the field and shift systems to advance inclusion. We support employer-change practices such as:
  • Diverse hiring.
  • Promotion and retention through our work with employer partners (we share our resources and learning tools with front-line immigrant organizations and workforce providers — including government agencies and community organizations — through our Jobversity program).
  • Lifting up the stories and support policy priorities that can move people and advance this work.

Upwardly Global Values