Refugee or Immigrant Employment Social Enterprise

Refugee and immigrant employment social enterprises create businesses employing refugees, immigrants, or asylum seekers facing employment barriers, often producing and selling cultural products (foods, crafts, catering) while providing job training, English language support, and integration services.

With 3+ million refugees resettled in U.S.

since 1975 and immigrants facing employment discrimination, refugee enterprises generate revenue of $180,000-$550,000+ through product or service sales.

The business requires social enterprise structure, employment of refugee or immigrant workers, language and integration support, business operations (catering, food, crafts, sewing), and culturally-responsive practices.

Business models include ethnic catering and prepared foods, traditional handicrafts and gifts, sewing and textile production, home care or cleaning services, or cultural restaurants and bakeries.

Revenue comes from business sales (70-85% of budget) plus refugee resettlement grants and workforce development funding (15-30%).

Success factors include culturally-appropriate employment practices and language support, viable business leveraging workers' cultural skills (cooking, sewing, crafts), comprehensive support addressing housing, childcare, transportation barriers, job training and English language learning, and measuring refugee employment and self-sufficiency outcomes.

Most successful enterprises build on refugees' cultural expertise (ethnic cuisine, traditional crafts) while providing wraparound support.

The business creates employment pathways while preserving cultural heritage.

Many enterprises partner with refugee resettlement agencies for worker referrals and support services.

Products appeal to conscious consumers seeking authentic cultural goods.

With refugee resettlement continuing and immigrants facing barriers in 2025, refugee employment social enterprises offer welcoming opportunities for immigrant advocates building businesses providing newly-arrived refugees with employment, job skills, and pathways to economic self-sufficiency while offering consumers authentic cultural products and cuisines.