Situation of resettled folks in New Hampshire

Source: APFANEWS

New Hampshire (USA), January 13: Doug Hall, an American volunteer who has been helping some of the Bhutanese as they settle into their new homes in New Hampshire, told Bhutan News Service that adults who have no English speaking skills are mostly finding difficult to get a job.

"The first Bhutanese refugees to arrive here came in April 2008. Many of the adults in the families that arrived in April, May, June, and July were able to find jobs in only a few weeks or months", told Hall.

He said that the resettled families that have arrived since July are having a more difficult time finding jobs.

"Economy in the USA is in a recession and many Americans have lost their jobs in the past six months," said Hall adding, "This means that the refugees face more competition for fewer jobs than they did only six months ago."

According to Hall it is not impossible for a 'refugee' to get a job. But it is much more difficult now.

Hall has even observed that refugee adults who do not speak or understand English will have a much harder time getting a job than those who have good English.

He said that those who have prior work experience, for example as a teacher, a shopkeeper, a social worker, a news reporter, will be able to get a job more quickly.

"There are some cities in the US where the refugees may find it easier to get jobs than other cities. But, everywhere in the US it is more difficult now than it was six months ago."

Last month, Jon Greenberg from here reported to National Public Radio that majority of the Bhutanese in New Hampshire were jobless. Bhutan News Service