Immigration Services Citizenship Intern

Immigration Services Citizenship Intern

The International Institute of Minnesota empowers New Americans as they begin new lives and achieve their full potential. Our comprehensive services range from refugee resettlement and citizenship and immigration support to English education, college preparation, and workforce and leadership development. Since our founding in 1919, the Institute has been a pillar of support for New Americans as they journey to safety, stability and success.

The Immigration Services program at the International Institute of Minnesota serves residents of the Twin Cities area and throughout Minnesota, the majority of whom originally entered the U.S. as refugees or asylees. We help bring economic and civic benefits to our Minnesota neighbors to complete their citizenship application, along with other immigration applications, including but not limited to green card application, work authorization and other immigration legal services. 

Position Description:

Interns will be exposed to a variety of immigration issues, mainly related to the process of U.S. citizenship. Interns will assist IIMN’s Accredited Representative and program staff to help clients apply for U.S. citizenship and with overall case management.

Primary Duties: 

• Assist clients to apply for U.S. citizenship.
• Complete case management services such as communicating with clients, organizing and managing documents, tracking case progress to support clients during their immigration process.
• Respond to client questions related to their application for U.S. citizenship.
• Input case-related information into client databases and upload documents.
• Complete immigration-related research.
• Attend workshops and webinars related to immigration, refugee, and non-profit topics.

Time Commitment: 

• Minimum of 12 hours/week for 4 months. Willing to consider less weekly hours if commitment can be made for more than 4 months.
• Hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Location:

International Institute of Minnesota 

1694 Como Ave. 

St. Paul, MN 55108

Qualifications sought:

Interest and coursework in political science, international relations, social work or sociology preferred as well as a familiarity and interest in working with immigrant populations. 

• Strong interest in learning about immigrant and refugee communities.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Experience working or volunteering in a cross-cultural environment.
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications.
• Bilingual in English and Amharic, Arabic, Karen, Oromo, Somali, or Spanish preferred

Benefits:

• Free parking and bus line accessibility
• Individualized supervision with IIMN staff
• Opportunity to gain immigration and non-profit experience and work directly with clients