Immigration Counselor, Accredited

Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc. is a 501 © (3) non-profit public benefit corporation that serves people without regard to race, sex, age, or religion. The Immigration Department of Catholic Charities is a Board of Immigration Appeals recognized agency that has served thousands of immigrants and refugees over many decades. IRD provides immigration and refugee services, including refugee resettlement and legal applications for naturalization, deferred action for childhood arrivals, religious workers visas, and family-based immigration petitions.

The immigration department is seeking an immigration counselor that will work exclusively with our grant funded, naturalization program team. As part of the immigration program staff, the immigration counselor’s duties will not be limited to immigration services, but will include community education, outreach and coordination of workshop events.
This person will show flexibility in a fast-pace working environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Interviews and counsels clients to determine eligibility for immigration legal rights and benefits; obtains necessary documentation.
• Informs clients of documents required by immigration to file petitions and/or applications and where to obtain those documents.
• Documents client information and screens clients for immigration/naturalization eligibility.
• Establish and maintain good working relationships with US Immigration personnel, immigration judges and other government authorities.
• Works with laws and regulations of the US Department of Immigration and Naturalization Services and the Us State Department.
• Tran slate documents
• Keep appropriate case records.
• Reviews all papers to ensure completeness and accuracy.
• Maintains records of documents.
• Inputs client’s records on computer terminal.
• Provides Informational and Educational presentations to the community around immigration issues.
• Attends all Citizenship Grant funded workshops, and participates in the coordination and organizing of workshops.
• Displays sensitivity to the client population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field required
• Three to five years of related experience
• Bilingual English / Spanish required
• Ability to translate documents
• Knowledge of federal immigration and naturalization laws and regulations
• Must be organized and able to prioritize multiple duties
• Maintain accurate and orderly records and files
• Strong computer skills required

Catholic Charities offers a wide range of employee benefits to support the total wellness of its employees. Our competitive package provides the flexibility to select the benefits that best meets the employee’s needs. Benefits are effective the first of the month following 30 days of employment.

• Medical, Dental & Vision
• Life Insurance
• Retirement Plan to include 401a/employer contribution only and 403(b)
• Supplemental Insurance (life, Accident, disability insurance, etc.)
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Care Spending Account Reimbursement accounts (HAS)
• Vacation days – 12 days per year
• Sick time – 10 days per year
• Short- and Long-Term Disability
• 13 holidays per year for regular f/t & p/t employees
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Cell Phones for those working in Shelters or with Clients outside of the office
• Employee Recognition - Annual Staff Appreciation Day Event
• Free Parking