On Wednesday, the Maine Department of Labor formally requested a waiver from the federal government to permit asylum seekers to seek employment while awaiting the resolution of their cases.

Labor Secretary Laura Fortman emphasized that removing the 180-day waiting period for work permits would benefit both asylum seekers who wish to financially support themselves and the state, which is grappling with a workforce shortage.

In September, Maine’s unemployment rate stood at 2.7%, the Associated Press reported.

In May, Democratic Governor Janet Mills signed a bipartisan bill, mandating the labor commissioner to pursue the waiver, recognizing the strain on resources and housing caused by the influx of newcomers.

“By allowing asylum seekers to work earlier, the state believes that we can begin to address – and mitigate – the financial and other resource-based issues the state and municipalities face while tackling our workforce shortage and fulfilling the dream of asylum seekers to stand on their own and contribute to our society,” Fortman wrote in her letter.

This year, Portland, Maine’s largest city, has received over 1,600 asylum seekers. While there is no existing provision in federal law for such a waiver, there is a growing wave of support for the concept.

Written by staff