Sacramento County has an extensive history of welcoming refugee groups from all over the world. Since 1983, the SETA Refugee Program has been a part of that.

Eligibility for the refugee program extends to refugee adults, asylees, Cuban and Haitian Entrants, federally-certified victims of human trafficking, and individuals granted Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs). Services are provided through local agencies and are intended to assist refugees in achieving economic self-sufficiency and reduced dependency on public assistance through employment and acculturation services.

Refugee Program Eligibility

The Refugee Program provides social and employment services to individuals who meet the following criteria are eligible for refugee services: Sacramento County residents who have been in the United States less than five years; are 16 years of age or older; are not enrolled full-time in primary or secondary school and are:

• Refugees/Asylees
• Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs)
• Cuban/Haitian Entrants
• Certified Victims of Human Trafficking
• Amerasians

Refugee Services Provided

• Vocational English-as-a-Second Language combined with Employment Services (VESL/ES)
• Employment Services (ES) – Stand Alone
• Vocational English-as-a-Second Language combined with On-the-Job Training (VESL/OJT)
• English Language Learner (ELL) Workforce Navigator
• Social Adjustment and Cultural Orientation (SA & CO) – for older refugees

For more information about SETA’s Refugee Program please call (916) 263-1661.

Refugee Service Providers

A refugee is a person living outside of his or her country of nationality who is unable or unwilling to return because of persecution, or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Since 1983, the SETA Refugee Program has served refugees predominately from Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union, and most recently the Middle East.