PHOENIX– Just over three years ago, the Afghan government collapsed as the Taliban seized control of the war-ravaged country.

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans fled their country with over 90,000 refugees settled in the U.S. Phoenix is home to an ever growing community of
Afghan refugees and as of 2022, there are nearly 2,400 Afghan immigrants living in Arizona according to Migration Policy Institute.

What is their role in the Phoenix workforce?

After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan’s government in 2021, many basic human rights were stripped from citizens, and especially women according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Thousands of people were forced to immigrate to other countries including the United
States.

Upon arrival, many refugees work with non-profit and charity organizations such as Catholic Charities and the International Rescue Committee to be matched with jobs according to their skillset.

Arshad Noor, the program manager of the employment division at Catholic Charities, takes the worker’s experience into account to build them a career in the current American job market.

“Usually people come from other countries, but everything is totally different here. If they were a doctor or engineer or pilot, here they have to start from scratch,” Noor Said. “We build everything for them and then explain the job market and show them how to apply it.”

The opportunities available for workers in Afghanistan are limited, with little regulations on discrimination in the workplace or minimum wage Irshad Ghulami, a food runner at the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix, explains.

Ghulami came to the U.S. through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a program that helps selected individuals find employment in the

“I think that refugees are the backbone of the U.S. workforce, especially in food service or just service industry including hard labor,” Ghulami said. “Our community contributes to (a sector
of) the workforce that not a lot of Americans are interested in working in.”
A large portion of the Afghan refugee population are also pursuing their education while still contributing to the labor force. Under the current Taliban rule in Afghanistan, women are unable to obtain any education or build a career for themselves according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

Sharifi, who prefers to use her last name, is a student at ASU and a hostess at the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix and is able to continue her studies in Phoenix after moving here in 2021.

“Going to school and working is very surprising to me when I first got here. Compared to Afghanistan we would go to school full time every day but you don't have time to work.” Sharifi said.

She continued that many people would have to decide between supporting their family business or getting their education, as there isn't an option to do both. In Phoenix, refugees can hold part time jobs just as any other student would, a luxury not afforded to them back home.

With this community continuing to grow in the Valley, Noor urges Phoenix residents to welcome them into the workforce and culture. He said that America’s long history of accepting refugees should be celebrated rather than hidden. With the new presidential administration taking control in 2025, many are unsure of their future here in America.

“These are not bad people. Something is going on in their country and that is why they are coming here…they are hard workers and very respectful and always ready to work.” Noor said.

“They are not here to create issues, they are here to solve a problem that has been created for them and their lives.”

Lilly Roseburrough is a student at the Arizona State University Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.