Governor Maura Healey is again urging the Biden administration to expedite work permits for new migrants in Massachusetts. But those permits are just the first step. According to Healey's office, only one in five migrants who have already gotten work authorization have been able to find a job. What's getting in the way? Crystal Haynes recently spoke to GBH News Reporter Sarah Betancourt, Jeff Thielman, president of refugee agency the International Institute of New England, and Modlaire Phanord, who arrived from Haiti last year and now lives in a state shelter with his wife and young child.

GBH News is a premier source for in-depth local news and original story telling based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Subscribe to the GBH YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/gbhnews?sub...
Follow GBH News on Instagram:   / gbhnews  
Like GBH News on Facebook:   / gbhnews  
Follow GBH News on Twitter:   / gbhnews  

We can’t do it without you. Support our award-winning community journalism by donating today: https://bit.ly/SupportGBHNews

00:00 Work permits are just the first step for migrants looking for a job
02:10 Barriers to work for new migrants
02:45 "Very complicated": Modlaire, a Haitian migrant shares his experience looking for work
03:30 Massachusetts needs new workers to fill open jobs
04:45 High housing costs are another barrier for finding work
06:00 How organizations helping migrants find work, housing
07:30 Modlaire says he is excited for future opportunities in Massachusetts
08:00 "People like Modlaire are the future of this state."
08:45 Some residents look at migrant influx as a bad thing for Massachusetts