Employment and education programs
The Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance works with community-based organizations, resettlement agencies and colleges to deliver services. Our service providers have close connections with ethnic communities. ORIA service providers are immigrants and refugees themselves, which helps provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
The Limited English Proficiency Pathway program helps eligible refugees and immigrants as they move towards economic stability. This includes people receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash or Refugee Cash Assistance. These services include building skills for work and education necessary to obtain and maintain employment. Clients might receive services for employment, education or both.
Services
Services include but are not limited to:
Job preparation / Job search – Service providers help with job search, resume writing, interviewing skills, understanding employer expectations and using the internet to keep looking for work. They work with people to support steady, long-term employment.
Service providers – Work closely with people to help them find and retain stable jobs.
- Skills training – Training to gain and improve work skills in a specific industry. These options range from commercial driver's license training to culinary apprenticeships, where most of these trainings lead to industry-recognized certificates once the training is completed.
- Work experience – Unpaid opportunities to practice work skills and gain work experience by working with a nonprofit organization.
- English as a second language, English language acquisition, English for speakers of other languages, English language learners – Classroom instructional setting, with one-on-one tutoring or small-group sessions to help build skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
- Continuing education assistance – Help navigating higher education resources and enrolling in classes.
- Support services – Helps reduce barriers and encourage participation with LEP Pathway services/activities.
ORIA service providers work closely with families, potential employers and other agencies to support each person’s employment and education journey.
Who is eligible?
You might qualify if you meet one or more of the following three criteria:
- You are receiving TANF, are an English language learner and have been referred by a DSHS Community Services Office.
- You are receiving Refugee Cash Assistance and meet federal Office of Refugee Resettlement eligibility. LEP Pathway referrals for RCA participants are only made by DSHS Community Services Office employees.
- You are age 16 or older and have lived in the United States for less than five years, have not become a U.S. citizen and have an immigration status that makes you eligible to receive federally funded refugee services from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement. For more information about ORR eligibility, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
If you are unsure about eligibility, please reach out to the ORIA Program Manager to verify eligibility for the program.
Service providers
If you have active TANF or RCA benefits, contact your DSHS WorkFirst case manager for referrals to ORIA providers. If you qualify for the LEP Pathway Program under section 3 of the eligibility criteria above and do not receive cash assistance from DSHS, please contact one of our service providers to enroll: