Hartford Business Journal

26 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | August 29, 2022 FOCUS: LAW Hartford immigration lawyer Dana Bucin has organized a pro bono matchmaking service to help Ukrainians secure jobs in Connecticut. Two-Way Street Businesses look to hire Ukrainian refugees amid labor shortage – but they need more than just a job By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com A s Russia's military invasion of Ukraine grinds on, more than 100,000 refugees have arrived in the United States, many of whom are uncertain when, if ever, they'll be able to return. While businesses may be moti- vated by altruism to help displaced Ukrainians, there's also a strong incentive to hire immigrants who are eager to work – especially as the U.S. faces its own struggle with an ongoing labor shortage. Russia's invasion that began Feb. 24 has displaced 10.4 million Ukrainian residents, about 6 million of whom have fled to European countries, but with a growing number landing in the U.S. and specifically Connecticut. Dana R. Bucin, chair of Murtha Cullina's immigration practice in Hartford and honorary consul of Romania to Connecticut, has organized a pro bono matchmaking service to help Ukrainians secure jobs in Connecticut that fit their inter- ests and skills. "We have everything from elec- tricians to welders, construction workers to teachers, to HR profes- sionals, healthcare workers, IT workers, engineers, a lot of cooks and chefs," Bucin said. "There's a wide range of skill sets that I believe are going to help us just as much as we help them." Businesses are not allowed to sponsor refugees directly, but they can encourage employees to do so, and they can help a refugee obtain housing by co-signing their lease for an apartment. The federal Uniting for Ukraine program allows displaced Ukrainians to come to the U.S. based on an individual sponsorship from a person with legal status here. So far, Bucin's group is helping 169 Ukrainian fami- lies settle in Connecticut. "It's so elegant that [the program] even circumvents the U.S. Depart- ment of State, with its consulates abroad …," Bucin said. "They simply, if approved under Uniting for Ukraine, get a QR code travel authorization, and they just show up at the airport and they're able to board a plane to the United States based on that QR code." Through the program, refugees are granted humanitarian parole, which allows them to stay in the U.S. for at least a year. After that, they can apply for asylum if it is unsafe to return to their homeland. Many of the sponsors are volun- teers, organized by churches and community groups, who allow refu- gees to live in spare guest rooms or vacation houses. "This is a way to accommodate large numbers of refugees, because it's not entirely at the expense of the federal government," Bucin said. "It's at the expense of ordinary citizens who are willing to open their homes." 'Looking for workers' Even under normal circumstances, immigrants face challenges accli- mating to U.S. laws and culture. But for Ukrainians fleeing a war-torn country amid dire circumstances, the barriers are even greater. When Ukrainians arrive, they often have little money and lack both a Social Security number and credit history. It takes three months to receive a work permit and a Social Security number, Bucin said. Also, in a tight housing market, they may struggle to find a land- lord who will rent to them without a credit history. She encourages businesses that want to hire Ukrainian workers to offer housing. Also, employers can give incentives to employees who agree to share their homes with a Ukrainian refugee. The concept is similar to a trend that began during the Great Resigna- tion in 2021: businesses are offering never-before-seen incentives to attract new employees, from work- from-home and hybrid schedules to signing bonuses. For Ukrainians, their needs tend to be more rudimentary – help obtaining a driver's license, enrolling their children in school, improving their English and opening a bank account, among other things. Despite frustrations with the process, Bucin said the Ukrainians she's working with are grateful. "The feedback I'm getting from Ukrainian refugees is that they feel secure," Bucin said. "They feel safe. They feel like they're in a place where they can finally focus on building a life." She's advocating for the federal government to drop the work permit requirement, which Europe has done for the roughly 6 million Ukrainian refugees living there. In the meantime, businesses are filling the gaps. CT'S IMMIGRANT WORKFORCE • There are about 525,600 known and legal immigrants living in CT. • There are about 333,756 known and legal immigrants in CT's labor force. • There are 320,405 known and legal immigrants working in CT. Source: Christopher Ball, director of the Central European Institute

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