International Institute of Minnesota

Since 1919, the International Institute of Minnesota has been a leader in serving refugees and immigrants. We help them meet their immediate needs and achieve their long-term goals. Each year, more than 4,000 refugees and immigrants come to the Institute from all over the world.

This is a remarkable year, with the number of newly arrived refugees doubling from last year. As demand for our services increase, our work is now more important than ever. We need your help to offer these crucial services to all new arrivals.

There is a lot to overcome in the first days of arrival in Minnesota. Your gift supports new arrivals as they:

• Secure housing
• Apply for work authorization and find employment
• Enroll in health insurance and get medical care
• Learn American systems such as transportation and finance
• Enroll children in school
• Update their vaccination status
• Develop English language skills

Many new arrivals face instability as they meet the challenges of starting over in a new country. You can make a deep impact on the lives of New Americans when you make a gift today. Together, we can empower New Americans to create the life of their choosing in Minnesota.

Our Vision: We seek a community where New Americans can find respect, support, and safety, and where they can achieve their full potential in their new lives.

Our Mission: Helping New Americans achieve self-sufficiency and full membership in American life.

Our Programs: The International Institute of Minnesota provides services and resources to empower New Americans (immigrants and refugees) in the pursuit of their goals. From language learning and job training to immigration assistance, citizenship classes, refugee resettlement, and case management, the Institute offers New Americans a pathway for a strong start to a new life in our community. 

Read about the resiliency of the people we serve.

Immigration Services: Reuniting families, offering citizenship classes and filing-assistance, and providing accredited, low-cost immigration assistance.

Read Ahmed's story.

Workforce Development: Training New Americans for their first jobs and their dream jobs with employment counseling, the Medical Careers Pathway and Hospitality Pathway.

Read Thuan's story.

Education: Offering the knowledge New Americans need for life in Minnesota through English classes, Professional Leadership training, citizenship test preparation, and more.

Read Ahmed's story.

Refugee Services: Welcoming and stabilizing refugees. Helping new arrivals with their first apartment, job, doctor appointment, school, and winter.

Read the Hanifi family's story.