Welcome to today’s #ImmigrantsThrive Twitter Chat! Join WES and partners for a chat on opening pathways for internationally trained immigrant and refugee health professionals in the U.S.! #RefugeesCare 
The current pandemic has highlighted the need to bolster the U.S. health care workforce. Immigrant & refugee health workers are already major contributors to the U.S. health care system & are on the frontlines of the fight against #COVID19. #ImmigrantsThrive
Many more immigrants and #refugee health professionals in the U.S. can help. Let’s talk about how to ensure that they can contribute to the U.S. health care system now and in the future! #ImmigrantsThrive
First question! Q1: According to @NewAmericanEcon immigrants comprise 16% of U.S. health care workers. What are some of the ways immigrants and refugees are critical in the US response to the coronavirus? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q2: Beyond the #COVID19 crisis, what are the needs that immigrant and refugee health professionals can help meet? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q3: Per @MigrationPolicy, 250K+ immigrants and refugees with health care degrees are under- or unemployed. What are the systemic challenges that lead to this underutilization of skills? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q4: Many immigrant and refugee health professionals face barriers to licensing in the U.S. What is the impact on immigrants & refugees, their families, and communities? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q5: With more than 2 million immigrants unable to fully use their prior education and experience in the U.S., why is it important to remove structural barriers and level the playing field in all sectors in the U.S.? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q6: States like NJ, NY, MI, NV, CO & MA created emergency licensing pathways for internationally trained immigrant & refugee health professionals to help fight #COVID19. What can be done to create permanent pathways to licensure? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q7: Prior to #COVID19, several states took action to tap the talent of immigrants and #refugees with international health care credentials. What are some promising, forward-thinking models states have adopted? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q8: What other policies or proposals to help immigrant and refugee health professionals succeed are being considered at the federal, state, and local level? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q9: What long-term strategies can we employ to ensure immigrant and #refugee workers are able to fully contribute their skills and talent to the U.S. labor market? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q10: What resources are available to support immigrant and #refugee jobseekers trying to enter the U.S. health workforce? #ImmigrantsThrive
Q11: What is one piece of advice to practitioners, service providers, decision-makers working to help immigrant and #refugee health workers integrate into the labor force? #ImmigrantsThrive
This concludes today’s #ImmigrantsThrive Twitter chat. Thank you to all who participated, & for all you do! Keep the conversation going to ensure immigrants & refugee health professionals can contribute to the health workforce during & beyond #COVID19! #RefugeesCare CC: @IMPRINT
Many thanks to @IMPRINT @NewAmericanEcon @RESCUEorg @Upwardly_Global @LIRSorg @interfaithimm @MIRACoalition @CWS_global @NatImmForum @SkillsCoalition @RefugeeCongress @ciet_lagcc @GlobalCleveland @EstherTBenjamin and many others who participated! #ImmigrantsThrive
