Thriving-wage careers empower newcomer communities and drive economic growth, with combined starting salaries surpassing $550M
NEW YORK — Today, Upwardly Global, the leading national nonprofit empowering professional immigrants, refugees, and asylees in the U.S. workforce, is proud to announce the placement of over 10,000 newcomers into thriving-wage jobs. This achievement, which amounts to over $550 million in combined starting salaries, underscores the organization’s two-decade commitment to building an equitable workforce that fosters thriving communities, promotes economic growth, and creates shared prosperity for all.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we renew our commitment to forging innovative pathways to success for immigrants, refugees, and asylees,” says Jina Krause-Vilmar, President and CEO at Upwardly Global. “Every success story highlights the profound impact of economic empowerment in fostering a diverse and robust American workforce. Together, we are shaping a future where every newcomer’s talent is a catalyst for our collective success.”
Upwardly Global also celebrates 1,000 total job placements in 2023 alone, with over 50% of these placements attributed to women job seekers. The combined starting salaries of the 2023 placements amounts to over $64 million, marking a substantial impact on both immigrant families and the broader U.S. economy.
Each job placement represents more than a career opportunity; it fuels an economic transformation in families, communities, and workplaces nationally. As newcomers continue to drive 100% of our country’s workforce growth through 2035, the inclusion of their skills and perspectives in the U.S. economy is increasingly vital to build resilience and promote innovation within the American workforce.
During this era of rising global migration, providing newcomers the opportunity to contribute at their skill level upon arrival is not only beneficial but imperative, and Upwardly Global remains at the forefront of this mission.
This historic accomplishment is a result of the collective dedication of every member of the Upwardly Global community — its staff, board, donors, volunteers, partners, and program alumni — whose commitment to building equitable opportunities for newcomers has had enormous impact on communities nationwide.
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About Upwardly Global
Upwardly Global’s mission is to eliminate employment barriers for low-income immigrant, refugee, and asylee professionals and to advance their inclusion into the U.S. economy. Since 2000, Upwardly Global has empowered unemployed or underemployed newcomers with the skills, career coaching, and social capital needed to rebuild their lives and careers. Learn more at UpwardlyGlobal.org.