Immigration Citizenship Services
Internship Overview
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.
Interns will be exposed to a variety of immigration issues, mainly related to the process of U.S. citizenship. Interns will assist the Institute’s Accredited Representative and program staff to help clients apply for U.S. citizenship and with overall case management (details below).
About the Internship
Please read each section below before applying.
- 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.
- 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
- Minimum of 12 hours/week for 4 months
(We are willing to consider less weekly hours if commitment can be made for more than 4 months.) - Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Free parking and bus line accessibility
- Individualized supervision with Institute staff
- Opportunity to gain immigration and non-profit experience and work directly with clients
About Us
Founded in 1919, the International Institute of Minnesota offers New Americans quality services that support their journey to stability and success. Our comprehensive offerings include refugee resettlement, English education, workforce and leadership development, college preparation and support, and immigration and citizenship assistance. The Institute also provides advocacy for policy reforms and supports systems change that improve opportunities for New Americans to move their lives forward.
Contact Us
Call or email us if you have questions about volunteering.
Kaela Schweisthal
Volunteer and Community Partnerships Manager
(651) 377-8663