The term immigration training is broad and covers a plethora of different courses. For example, there is immigration program management training, immigration lawyer training, and immigration enforcement training. These courses deal with starting an immigration legal service program, becoming an immigration lawyer, and learning immigration law in order to enforce it, respectively. Generally, immigration training courses are not intended for immigrants, but are instead meant for natives who wish to aid immigrants in some way. The exact material covered in an immigration course varies.
Immigration program management training is generally geared toward teaching lawyers how to start a program that focuses on providing legal services to immigrants. The course might cover how to choose clients, what to charge, and how to become officially recognized by the local government. If the program is not-for-profit, the course might include how to raise funds to better provide low-cost legal services to immigrants. A crucial aspect of this training is usually how to avoid breaking the law; for example, how to best aid an illegal immigrant without resulting in deportation or loss of the immigrant’s job.
Before starting a program to help immigrants, it is usually helpful to attend an immigration law training program. To become an immigration lawyer, a person must usually become certified by graduating from law school and passing the bar exam in the jurisdiction where he or she will be practicing. Even after gaining a license to practice, more immigration training is often necessary to keep up to date with changing laws. Before graduation, the student might be required to become an intern to get hands-on immigration lawyer experience.
Immigration enforcement training is typically reserved for law enforcers, such as police officers. These immigration training programs teach people about false documents, diplomatic immunity, and many other things law enforcers need to know when interacting with immigrants, legal or otherwise. Many governments feel these types of immigration training programs are becoming increasingly necessary as more people immigrate.
Some immigration training courses are not restricted to any one profession. Health professionals, lawyers with other specialities, and child care workers can all aid immigrants in some way. A training course might teach that having at least one bilingual worker can not only increase business but give immigrants a smoother transition into the country. Another course might emphasize the importance of having programs to help pay for an immigrant’s medical bills if he or she cannot is prohibited from using programs natives use.