Services and resources are available to those who are undocumented or don’t have work authorization. They include:
If you are an asylum seeker interested in work, you can find opportunities at a Workforce1 Career Center near you.
Apply for workYou can enroll in free courses to get certified.
NYC Department of Education provides tuition-free classes for eligible students who are:
Classes are offered morning, afternoon, and evenings, Monday-Saturday, at more than 175 sites in all five boroughs.
NYCDOE Adult Education by NYC Public Schools (Department of Education DOE)
Now enrolling.
Adults 21 or older can take classes to learn the skills needed to eventually earn their high school equivalency (GED/HSE).
Career and Technical Education by NYC Public Schools (Department of Education DOE)
Find a high school program that will prepare you for a career in various industries.
Build and improve your English language skills, online or in-person, at no cost.
DYCD Adult Literacy Program by NYC Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD)
Adults and out-of-school youth age 16+ can take free classes to learn English and prep for HSE/GED exams.
We Speak NYC by NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA)
Free classes with materials for you to improve your English.
The City of New York offers New Yorkers free, safe immigration legal help in a network of trusted community-based organizations at community sites, public health facilities, public schools, and libraries. This includes assistance with completing the relevant Work Authorization forms. Services are provided in your language. Your immigration status does not matter. The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs offers a list of resources.
You can call the City-funded, free and safe MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365, or call 311 and say “ActionNYC,” between 9AM to 6PM, Monday to Friday, to get:
Additional legal resources for asylum seekers are available through the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.