Amazon has announced its intention to hire 5,000 refugees in the United States by the end of 2024. The company plans to offer specialized support and resources to these employees through its Welcome Door program.
According to a press release by Amazon, the Welcome Door program provides refugees and humanitarian immigrants in the U.S. with various benefits. These include government filing fee reimbursements, citizenship application support, legal resources, and mentorship. Available since April, it also offers access to skills training, college tuition, and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses through Amazon's Career Choice program, which employees can access after 90 days.
"Being displaced from your homeland and having to start again somewhere is never easy," said Janet Saura, Amazon Vice President of Employee Relations. "We are committed to helping where we can by providing refugees and other displaced people with access to meaningful employment, as well as immigration support through our Welcome Door program."
Since 2010, Amazon has invested $43 billion in Kentucky, significantly contributing to the state's economy. This investment has added $39 billion to Kentucky's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and created 22,000 full- and part-time jobs as of January 2024. Additionally, according to Amazon's Economic Impact Report, the company's presence has supported 50,300 indirect jobs based on U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis methodology. The company also supports over 3,000 independent sellers in the state, many of which are small and medium-sized businesses. Key investments in Kentucky include 11 fulfillment and sortation centers, five delivery stations, one air hub, two Whole Foods Market locations, four solar farms, and one on-site solar location.
Amazon provides a range of services including online and in-person shopping, delivery of fresh produce, and media distribution. The company operates various devices and services such as Alexa and Fire TV while offering cloud solutions through Amazon Web Services (AWS). Its operations encompass logistics and customer service; it also delivers entertainment through platforms like Amazon Originals, Prime Video, and Audible.