Original content from NetWerk
It can be a little challenging to get a job as an undocumented immigrant.
The life plan of the majority is to go to school, get a good job, and make money.
Sadly sometimes life gets in the way, and you are an undocumented immigrant in a land far from home.
Although the life plan stays the same, it can become too complicated.
But complicated doesn’t mean impossible, there are still tons of jobs for undocumented immigrants.
Let’s list and discuss 10 of the jobs available for undocumented immigrants.
Jobs For Undocumented Immigrants
1. Social Media Manager
As an undocumented immigrant, getting a conventional job may be a little difficult but roles like social media management are ideal.
A social media manager’s role is pretty flexible, you can work remotely or hybrid.
Simply put, a social media manager manages the social media accounts/ presence of an organization, a product, or a brand.
Your duties vary due to the company and type of social media being handled, but your roles would usually revolve around these few tasks –-creating content strategies and content calendars, publishing content on various social media platforms, responding to audience comments and feedback, etc.
Salary – the average salary of a social media manager is $58,344 per year.
2. Nanny
Working as a nanny is certainly one of the most fulfilling jobs there is because you would be nurturing and shaping a human.
To be a nanny you need to have great communication skills, a whole lot of patience, stamina, good cooking, health/safety, and great time management skills.
This is a good job for undocumented immigrants because you can work for multiple clients at once and as long as people don’t stop having kids you will never be out of a job.
If this is a new career path, you can start by gaining experience.
You can babysit for family, friends, or neighbors.
You can also get certified but this is not completely necessary to have a successful career.
However, having a college degree would be a big plus as you would need to tutor the children you babysit.
Salary – the average salary of a nanny or babysitter is $42,162 per year.
3. Content Writer
Content writing as an undocumented immigrant is a great way to make money and even help other immigrants, especially if you have a passion for writing.
The content writing industry’s revenue is ever on the rise so this is a great industry to break into.
To be a content writer you need to have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, English, creative writing or communication.
Next, you need to gain experience (the best way to learn how to write is to write), you can start writing on Medium or take internships.
During this process, you get to decide what niche you like, you also create your portfolio and then you can start applying for jobs.
Salary – the average salary of a Content Writer is $62,108 per year.
4. Content Creator
If you love being in front of the camera, documenting events and storytelling, becoming a content creator should be at the top of your list for jobs as an undocumented immigrant.
A content creator is basically someone who creates content.
There is a variety of content that you can create on different social media platforms but it revolves majorly around video, audio, and written content.
To become a content creator, you must choose your industry- it could be skincare, entertainment, healthcare, fashion, etc.
Next, you pick your style, study your target audience, decide where to reach them and then create value for them.
To be a successful content creator you must be consistent, updated and patient.
Salary – the average salary of a Content Creator is $58,262 per year
5. Virtual Assistant
This is one of the best jobs for undocumented immigrants who want to work remotely.
A virtual assistant provides vital remote administrative and technical services/assistance to companies and clients.
One of the major perks of being a virtual assistant is the flexibility.
As a virtual assistant your tasks are heavily dependent on your client but here are some basic skills you must have – computer literacy, good communication, time management, organization, editorial, creativity, and customer service skills.
Salary – the average salary of a Virtual Assistant is $45,351 per year.
6. Office Secretary
Working as an office secretary/assistant is a good job for undocumented immigrants who are just getting into the job market.
As an office assistant, you must have great verbal, computer, technological, time-management, planning, and clerical skills.
This job is also great for undocumented immigrants who do not have so many educational qualifications as the minimum qualification is a high school diploma.
Salary – the average salary of an office secretary/assistant is $41,000 yearly.
7. Chef/Cook
If you have top-notch culinary skills in any cuisine, you should look into expanding on that and making a career out of it.
Becoming a chef is certainly a lucrative career choice for undocumented immigrants who love cooking but being a chef does transcend beyond cooking.
The other responsibilities also include managing food inventory, creating menus, overseeing kitchen operations, etc.
To become a chef, you would need to go to culinary school and earn some certifications.
Although these are not necessary to begin at an entry-level position as you grow they would come in handy.
Salary – the average salary of a chef/cook is $46,180 per year.
8. Club Promoter
This particular job for undocumented immigrants is perfect for immigrants who have impeccable communication and interpersonal relationship skills as well as being naturally extroverted.
This job is also perfect for undocumented immigrants who have a high following on social media as this would make the job easier.
A club promoter works as an organizer, coordinator and publicist for events like concerts, open mics and themed parties.
There are two types of club promoters – in-house and independent.
They both do the same job but as the name implies the latter works for their events and the former for the events of bars, restaurants, clubs, etc.
Salary – the average salary of $41,925 per year.
9. Waitress
This is one of the jobs for undocumented immigrants on this list that may not be fancy but can pay the bills for a while.
As a waitress, your responsibilities usually revolve around welcoming customers, taking their food and drink orders, recommending items on the menu, collecting payments, etc.
To become a waitress/waiter you don’t have to have any experience as most places offer on-the-job training.
But if you do want to gather some experience you can work as a food runner or busser.
Next, you want to build your resume and add to it any experience related to waitressing.
You will also need to check out restaurants you would like to work for and see what their work process is like.
Then you pick a couple and apply to them.
Salary – the average salary of a Waiter/Waitress is $36,157 per year.
10. Graphic Designer
As a graphic designer, your job is to create designs for adverts, websites, social media, and campaigns.
To be a graphic designer you have to get a professional degree either from an online school, university or community college.
After gaining the knowledge, practice. Practice on your own, take up internships and volunteer work to hone your skills and grow your portfolio. At this point, you can start applying for jobs.
Salary – the average salary of a Graphic designer is $58,956 per year
Getting A Job As An Undocumented Immigrant
When choosing any jobs on this list, remember to go for the ones you are best qualified for and enjoy doing as this will improve your work experience.
And don’t be discouraged if you send a couple of resumes and do not get called for an interview in the first month.
It is normal for job hunting to take some time to bear fruits.
Just ensure you have planned properly, and have all the needed qualifications and knowledge needed to perform excellently when you finally get that job.
